Mendis no match to Warne, Kumble, says spin doctor Jenner

New Delhi, Jul 21 (UNI) Ajantha Mendis, the mystery spinner has had batsmen confounded by his googlies, off-breaks, leg-breaks, flippers, but former Australian leg-spinner Terry Jenner believes that the Sri Lankan would struggle to find himself in the ranks of Warne, Murlitharan and Kumble.

''Warne, Murlitaharan and Kumble are some great bowlers and it's still early days for Mendis but I think he doesn't have that one stock ball that would take his career a long way,'' Jenner told UNI here last night.

Warne's mentor, Jenner said the hype around Mendis will subside in due course of time and added that one should not judge a bowler with just a few performces.

''I believe he has a long way to go and we have seen him in just a few matches, it will be interesting to see how he bowls in Test matches,'' Jenner added.

In the recent Asia Cup that concluded earlier this month, Mendis took 17 wickests with two five-wicket hauls which also included a six for 13 against India in the final.

With Warne already retired from international cricket and Kumble and Murlitharan almost in their last stages of career, Jenner feels the game will find it difficult to replace the bowlers of their calibre.

However, the former Aussie leggie, who is here to teach the nuances of spin bowling to budding spinners in the country, spoke highly of Piyush Chawla and had a few suggestions for the young leg-spinner.

''He is a bright prospect for India but I believe he shouldn't rely much on his googlies.

''Warne got most of his wickets with his leg-breaks and not the googlies. I think Chawla should understand his role in the team which is to take wickets and not the containment,'' Jenner advised.

The Australian further added that spinners will always have a role to play irrespective of which form of the game they are playing.

''Look at Harbhajan Singh when he bowled in that Twenty20 world.

He was bowling wide from the crease and was shooting his deliveries right in the block-hole which the batsmen found really hard to get away with,'' he noted.

''Popcorn cricket, as I descibe Twenty20 cricket.... spinners certainly have a role to play in it,'' he added.

Jenner will be here from today at Ferozeshah Kotla ground for a summer camp to improve the skills of spin bowling of some of the upcoming spinners.

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