World Cup 2015: Indian fast bowlers have fired superbly
The most heartening aspect of India’s performance in the ICC World Cup has been the superb effort from the pace troika of Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma.
Traditionally, Holi is a day when celebrations reach a crescendo by noon with a riot of colours marking the mood and people on a high. Just that on Friday, the high spirits did not have to do just with colours and alcohol. The Indian quick bowlers caught the eye with pace, length, bounce and aggression.
The story of India’s failures abroad in the recent past have had to do as much with batting collapses as the inability of the bowlers to adapt to local conditions. To say that it has been a story of only luck for the Indian bowling attack thus far in the World Cup would be uncharitable as there is a clear purpose in the way Shami, Umesh, Mohit and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have bowled. Add to it the way Ravichandran Ashwin has changed his approach — he has become a menacing bowler who is not easy to hit on the big grounds in Australia.
When Ishant Sharma was ruled out of the World Cup at the last minute, there was a general feeling of depression as he was supposed to spearhead the Indian pace attack with his experience. But the way the new-look line-up has responded to the challenge has been captivating, with the performance on the bouncy Perth wicket lending proof that Indian bowlers are not scared of using the short ball effectively. Yes, they have conceded some extras in the four matches till now, but the ability to bounce batsmen from the first match against Pakistan, by taking the wicket of Younis Khan, has set the tone for the last three weeks.
There has been a lot of debate over how the Indian bowlers messed it up in the Test series in Australia and the subsequent triseries. By all accounts, the Indians have learned a lot to win four matches in a row to enter the quarter-finals. So what is it that the Indians have done differently this time that they are seen as bowlers who need to be feared? Yes, they have generated pace and bounce while Mohit Sharma, a trifle slower than Shami and Umesh, has used swing beautifully.
According to the knowledgeable and discerning Down Under, bowling coach Bharat Arun and video analyst Sandeep Anand have played a huge role in guiding the fast bowlers. That, indeed, has helped in bowling out sides like South Africa and West Indies, who traditionally play fast bowling with ease.
Shami did miss one match, against the UAE, but his aggression and rhythm marks him out as someone special. For all those at home who have been watching television and the pitch map to see the way the bowlers have performed, Shami’s case is one of mixing pace, bounce and length to telling effect. Even after missing one match, he came back roaring to life against the West Indies. He has a free flowing run-up and when he fires the delivery, there is a certain amount of unpredictability for the batsmen.
For a side which has a gifted strokemaker in Chris Gayle, the West Indies did come up short and Umesh Yadav can take credit as well for his speedy spell. In the past, people have said Umesh is unpredictable and, can go for early early runs. The young man has matured a lot and is bowling with zest and zeal in conditions in which he is not afraid of even bowling to the aggressive batsmen.
As for Mohit, he makes up for lack of pace with swing and control. His fielding has been top-class as well and as a last-minute replacement in Team India, he lends huge value.
If the Indian pace attack has been outstanding, the variety Ashwin has lent is captivating. There is a huge difference between the Ashwin of the past and now. The Chennai man is bowling slower through the air, generating a lot more variety and is difficult to hit as he is no longer predictable.
The Men in Blue will be travelling to New Zealand for the last two group matches, where conditions will suit swing better. As the fast bowlers have learnt their lessons well, playing in Kiwiland should be a challenge they will love. It was good to see Mahendra Singh Dhoni return to form with a typical knock against the West Indies when the team was under pressure. As a batsman with immense experience and the ability to score when required the most, the skipper continues to be an asset.
A word of caution for vice-captain Virat Kohli. The rockstar of Team India is batting so well he doesn’t need any adverse publicity. As a role model for youngsters, he needs to know abusing people in the media is just not required. The sooner the Kohli-media spat is swept under the carpet, the better it will be as Team India doesn’t need any distractions at this point of time.