“You belong to the land of Gandhi (Mahatma), who believes in non-violence. So, your country can never produce fast bowlers.” These were words of a renowned Australian fast bowler when nudged upon the aspect of dearth in Indian fast bowling options. Well, he cannot be faulted for the statement as India has always been known for its spinners than speedsters for the whole of the 20th century and some parts of the 21st century. But things are finally changing for the better as far as Indian speedsters are concerned. In the UAE where people are currently preoccupied as to which teams would make it to the IPL playoffs, a young bowler from Jammu diverted the attention of everyone from the IPL for a brief period by clocking 150 KMPH twice in two matches. Suddenly the IPL-obsessed people around the world are wondering “how’s this possible?” This can be the reality with Pakistan, Australia or England but India, no way. However, Umran Malik has done what Shoaib Akhtar or Brett Lee was adept at during their active years.
Having said that this is not the first time an Indian bowler has breached the 150 barrier. Bowlers such as Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar have bowled in the same range but they could not do it consistently. This is where the feat of Malik stands out as he clocked 150 plus against the KKR and then hurled 152.95 against the RCB, the fastest ball in the IPL history. But for India, it is not Malik alone as the country has a pace battery to die for at present. So, the time is ripe to find out the other candidates who can breach 150 regularly for India internationally.
Navdeep Saini
This Delhi pacer from Karnal has already set the grounds on fire with his raw pace and has crossed the 150 mark in domestic events several times. After making his Test debut in the famous summer of Australian 2021 (Sydney) under the captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane, he could only play one more at the Gabba. He can be the dreaded fast bowler that missed for a long time, but he needs to be careful about his fitness as he is known to be vulnerable to injury.
Umesh Yadav
This “Vidharba Express” can rattle the batsmen with a fiery pace, which earned him the Test cap in 2011 against West Indies in India. With 154 wickets from 49 Tests at a bowling average of 30.24, he hardly justifies the talent he possesses. Despite having the ability to send balls at breakneck speed towards the batsmen, Yadav has often erred in line and length. However, with a bit of discipline, his bowling can be a match-defining aspect for India in Tests, the only format in which he gets picked right now.
Jasprit Bumrah
No list regarding fast bowling exploits would be complete without this “Gujarat wonder”. Everyone knows that he has the Waqar-like deadly yorkers but his unconventional action puts him in a different league altogether. He has breached the150 mark several times in the past and has over the years proved to be an ideal option for death bowling in the ODIs and T-20s, thanks to the variety he brings to the table. Even in Test, especially in the England Series recently, he proved that he can be unplayable especially if the bowl is reversing and with the truckload of pace he is blessed with. Indian cricket can touch new heights if he continues in this vein.
Basil Thampi
The Kerala pace bowler is yet to break into the Indian squad but he is a promising talent to watch out for in the future. After making the IPL debut for Gujarat Lions in 2017, he showed flashes of brilliance in a few matches in the league but eventually fell out of favour due to his profligate bowling. However, with proper grooming, this Kerala pacer can be a useful addition to its 150 plus club. Currently, he is ironing out his deficiency at the MRF Pace Academy in Chennai under the guidance of Glenn McGrath and at 25 he is not yet too old to make a comeback into the scheme of things.
Kamalesh Nagarkoti
This Rajasthani lad can be another lethal weapon in the bowling arsenal of India. Nagarkoti has many times shown his ferocious side as a bowler, especially in the under-19 World Cup of 2018. He was also sent to the Australia tour of 2020-21 as an additional bowler due to his ability to bowl at a crushing pace. At present, he might come across as a bit undercooked in the cricketing world but with time and proper mentoring he can be a weapon of mass destruction for India.
