For the umpteenth time in the last three years or so Indian bowlers have compensated for the lack of runs from batsmen lower down the order. The middle-order muddle is an old story, so let us focus on the bowling attack that has taken India to the pinnacle of glory, especially in Tests. It won’t be outlandish to term the current pace attack as the best because the Indian team have never had such an attacking and potent bowling arsenal in their cricketing history. There have been some lone rangers in the past like Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath or Zaheer Khan but never a bouquet of bowlers to give captain and coach sleepless nights over team selection. So, let us examine what makes the current bowling line strongest, at least in the Indian context.
Bumrah’s Deceptive Action
Apart from other aspects, the majority of the batsmen across the globe are bound to get flummoxed by Jasprit Bumrah’s unconventional bowling action. It is a modern-day mystery in cricket as to how he generates pace in such a peculiar manner. If that is not sufficient then there are probing in-swingers, which he can get to straighten as well. Then, of course, the deadly yorkers, which attain extreme lethality with his ability to reverse with the old ball. The spell at the Oval, only a few months back, where he got both Ollie Pope and Jonny Bairstow with unplayable deliveries is proof enough of his destructive abilities.
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Shami & Wickets Go Hand In Hand
In Mohammed Shami India have a wicket-taking bowler, a huge blessing in any format. He might leak a few runs in the process, at times, but inflicts vital blows at crucial intervals. The UP-born Bengal pacer can also fire deliveries at a fair pace and hit the deck regularly with the seam as well. These apart, he can also regularly hit the right line and length to choke batsmen for runs and reverse with the old ball. Hence, it is not a surprise as to why he regularly makes it to the final XI of the squad, teeming with myriad options in terms of quick guns.
Siraj’s Dogged Determination & Youthful Disposition
The tall Hyderabadi pacer is a new kid on the block but he has made an indelible impact after he burst onto the international arena in 2019. Mohammed Siraj is supremely athletic and brings in a lot of raw energy into the Indian squad and possesses the ability to hurl balls at a fiery pace as well. But his real strength lays in regularly hitting a good line and length to irritate even the unflappable batters. The new lad might not be as skillful as Bumrah or Shami but his unshakeable confidence in his abilities makes him a potent weapon of the future Indian lineup.
Thakur’s Out Swingers
Known as “Palghar Express”, Shardul Thakur can be the all-rounder that the Indian Team has been looking at all along to lend a semblance of balance to the side. Everyone has got a good glimpse of what he brings to the team as a batter but even as a bowler he packs sufficient punch. He has the natural ability to swing the ball and can bowl those outswingers to trouble the batsmen, especially outside the subcontinent. Thakur with his outgoing deliveries perfectly completes the overall skill matrix of the Indian bowling lineup.
The Pace And Disconcerting Bounce Of Ishant
The veteran pacer from Delhi might have reached the last leg of his career but he is not out of Team India’s scheme of things. With 105 Tests under his belt, Ishant has orchestrated several overseas victories for India in the long format. He can generate bounce and swing with consummate ease to keep the best batters in check. These apart, he can bring in those darting deliveries at the pad of the right-hand batsmen to keep them on their toes forever. With these qualities, he has over the years emerged as the automatic choice for the captain to open the bowling in Test matches, India or abroad. If you still have reservations over his abilities, then watch the 2008 Sydney Test, where he literally forced Ricky Ponting to dance to his tunes.
