Indian medium pacer Ajit Agarkar believes that having a full time bowling coach could be of great help to the team.

Pointing out that the presence of Bruce Reid to assist the bowlers during the team's tour of Australia two years ago helped them a lot, Agarkar said it is probably not a bad thing to have a bowling coach.

The 27-year-old, who is in Bangalore, attending the pre-season pace bowlers camp, said: "Reid being an Australian, it helped in those conditions. We haven't had a full time bowling coach after that really".

"It's probably not a bad thing to have [a bowling coach]", said Agarkar, who made his Test debut in 1998 against Zimbabwe.

"Because you never had a full-time bowling coach, it's tough to say whether it helps or not. But in Australia, Reid being an Australian, was a help".

The Mumbaikar is also not comfortable with the tag of 'all-rounder' attached to him and makes no secret of it.

"I bat at number nine. My primary job at the moment is to bowl. If I can contribute with the bat, it's always good", added Agarkar, who has played 22 Tests and 135 ODIs.

"Being an all-rounder, you need to be consistent and try and win games for the team either with the bat or ball. That makes you an all-rounder. So every contribution with the ball is very important for me. I don't think I am classified as an all-rounder", said Agarkar, who has scored a century at Lord's and has rattled up a half-century in just 21 balls against Zimbabwe.

Agarkar said it is good for the team that there are so many fast bowlers who are vying for slots, adding, the competition is 'pretty healthy'.

"Lot of guys are pushing each other; this will help the team. It's always going to be tough [to be in the team]. You have to push yourself further, take up the challenge and perform better", he said.

Also of the view was Punjab fast bowler Gagandeep Singh, part of the group of 15 fast bowlers attending the camp.

"New crop of fast bowlers are working hard; and it is a tough competition. If ten bowlers are trying hard to get into the team, it's for sure that India would get 4-5 good bowlers," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Haryana's nippy medium pacer Joginder Sharma, who made his ODI debut last December during India's tour of Bangladesh, said he is working hard to be in the team by positioning himself as an all-rounder.

Early in the 2004-05 Ranji season, Sharma scored two successive hundreds and came up with a ten-wicket haul.