Bowling consultant Darren Stevens has revealed the harsh lesson Kent seam bowler Jas Singh learnt last summer.
Singh, now 23, made a bright start to their 2025 season – after he had worked closely alongside Stevens the previous winter – only for his campaign to be cut short by a serious ankle injury.
Stevens revealed Singh had insisted on training, despite his concession to Stevens that he felt tired, as he went against his coach’s advice on the day he sustained the injury.
The right-armer is fighting fit now, though, and has been tipped to make a major impact in Kent’s first team.
“I see him playing a lot,” said Stevens. “I was really impressed with him last year.
“We changed a few things with his technique and around some other tactical stuff, and he took to it straight away.
“He soaked it all up and he asked the right questions at the right times. I remember the day he did his ankle and us sitting down before that session and him saying ‘I feel really tired today.’.
“I remember saying to him ‘If you’re tired, then you don’t need to do anything today.’. But he said ‘Oh no, I’ll be all right, Stevo. I’ll just do a little bit’ – and 15 minutes later, he did his ankle!
“He was unlucky. He was going around the wicket and he slipped, which is just one of those freak accidents.
“I said to him a few months later ‘What was your taking from that?’. He said ‘If you’re tired, don’t bowl!’.
“I’m just really excited about him. He was bowling at the end of last year and there was a chance that he could have bowled in the last couple of games, but we kept him away from it.”
Nevertheless, Singh was fit enough to head Down Under for a second successive winter.
Stevens said: “He flew out to Australia a week after the season had finished and played three-quarters of a season there and did really well.
“We kept in touch on his technique stuff. I’m really happy with where he is at.
“Skill-wise, he has gone through the roof again. He has been the pick of the bowlers over the last couple of weeks where we’ve been at The Oval. He has been top-drawer. I’m really excited for him.”
Indeed, Stevens and bowling coach Sam Faulkner were eager to ensure Kent’s bowlers spent as little time in the county’s indoor nets in Canterbury, as opposed to playing in warmer climates, as possible.
He revealed: “I had a meeting with all the bowlers straight after the season in October. A couple of lads were going away so I needed to get them early – and I pushed them all to go away.
“I think every single one of the bowlers has actually been abroad. They have bowled for most of the winter. Even Mikey Cohen, he didn’t want to go away but I said ‘You need to go away because you haven’t been away in the past three years and you haven’t been fit’.
“We sorted his technique out, we have shortened his run-up – which I’m sure everybody will be happy about because it was too long – but he’s in a really good place. He’s been away for the last six weeks, bowling outdoors.
“Quinny (Matt Quinn) was the same where he’s spent the last two years at home, bowling indoors. I think he went away at Christmas and came back at the end of February.
“They were all in a great place before they went away. Me and Sam kept tabs on all of them while they were away so I’m just really happy with where everybody is at.”
Another to have a busy “close season” was all-rounder Grant Stewart, who represented Italy at the T20 World Cup.
“The learning he has had there is only going to hold him in good stead,” Stevens admitted. “He said he’s played on the flattest and smallest pitches he has ever come across!
“He’s good. We just need to step up on his red-ball skills because he’s been white ball all winter.
“We did a little bit before he went away in early December so I think he’s going to have a big couple of weeks.”
They are joined in Kent’s bowling ranks by South African overseas bowlers Keith Dudgeon and Glenton Stuurman for their County Championship season away opener against Durham from Friday while seam bowler Matt Milnes has made a county comeback, too.
On Milnes, Stevens said: “I know he enjoyed it when he was here.
“He moved on because he wanted to play international cricket, (experience) different pitches, and I get that. But now we have got him back, we’re so fortunate to have him.
“As a mate as well – and an old team-mate – I’m so happy for him to be back. He’s really excited about getting involved.
“The two overseas players we have got, Dudgeon, hopefully, we can keep him for longer than a game! That was unlucky but he’s really excited – and the same with Stuurman.
“He’s an experienced bowler and we’re really excited about getting him around.”
Kent closed day one of their final pre-season friendly, a three-day match against Oxford UCCE, 402-4 in Canterbury yesterday.
There were centuries for opener Ben Compton and the returning Sam Northeast who, respectively, scored 106 and 101.
Tawanda Muyeye (77 not out) and Stewart (53 not out) also contributed unbeaten half-centuries before the close.
