India must look for Pacers - Genuine fast bowlers

Just as the opening batsmen give a team a good start, similarly the pace bowlers give a good start by taking a few early wickets, paving way for other bowlers to strike. And fast bowlers hunt in pairs. In recent years Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath, his one ball during the 1996 tour of South Africa measured 156kph (97mph), showed some spark and yielded good results. India needs young fast bowlers who are fast and furious who can bowl hostile spells in home and foreign conditions to win test matches.

Mohd Nissar in action

Not many youngsters must have heard about the Indian pace bowling attack in the early thirties of Mohd Nissar, with a strike rate of a wicket every 48 balls and Amar Singh. They were potent and instilled fear in the batsmen. After them, India has struggled to find an attacking fast bowling pair. Just as the opening batsmen give a team a good start, similarly the pace bowlers give a good start by taking a few early wickets, paving way for other bowlers to strike. And fast bowlers hunt in pairs. In recent years Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath, his one ball during the 1996 tour of South Africa measured 156kph (97mph), showed some spark and yielded good results.

Amar Singh 

Much has been said about the 3-1 defeat in the recent Test Cricket series in England. But the Indian experts still ignore one major factor; India’s obsession with medium pace. Bowling at 130kph is not going to win India anything, especially on foreign tours. Medium pacers can be used as stock bowlers or when the conditions and pitch helps in swing bowling. The need of the hour is tear-away fast bowlers or bowlers bowling consistently at around 140kph, thereby making the opposition batsmen hop or put them on the back foot. And using the bouncer as the surprise weapon. One cannot expect India to win matches overseas with medium pacers. This is no rocket science!

Mohd Nissar 

After India won the World Cup in 1983 with the bowling of Kapil Dev, Madan Lal, Roger Binny and Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Pakistan’s great all-rounder and fast bowler commented – ‘They are not attacking, but defensive bowlers.’ And he is right in a way. Most foreign teams are aware of this Indian weakness. You might win an odd match, but it is absolutely difficult to win regularly.

In the England series, given the limited opportunity, Varun Aaron was impressive and exposed the futility of India’s obsession for medium pacers for all conditions. Aaron troubled the English batsmen with pace and penetrative bowling. 

Kapil Dev

He is young and raw, but has to be persisted with. Fast bowlers hunt in pairs. Umesh Yadav must get a look-in in Test Cricket. Currently, these two with Ishant Sharma, who looked better this time with pace and aggression, can form the core for Indian new ball attack.

Mohd Shammi was a disappointment, but he has pace too and if guided properly, can join Bhuvaneshwar Kumar as the five-man new ball attack, and can be played in rotation to provide rest to players in between matches. They are all young and need to be guided and taken care of. If possible, should be allowed to play in county cricket which will help provide them with experience in alien conditions.

J Srinath with S Tenulkar

Meanwhile the selectors should look for good talented fast bowlers. In a vast country like ours, you are bound to get raw talent. India has the reputation for throwing up good spinners, but we have to be patient as it takes years to sharpen their craft. They should be nurtured and made into a potential wicket-taking bowlers. Ashwin, Amit Mishra and others are a good bowlers in the sub-continent conditions, but on foreign soil, they are yet to show his full wicket-taking potential.

Varun Aaron being congratulated 

The coming series against West Indies and Australia will indicate if our experts and selectors have learnt their lesson from the dismal performance in the recently concluded England Test Cricket series where not only the bowling, but poor batting, fielding and in-experience of the Indian team was exposed by the England team.

Umesh Yadav

There is no short cut to success, it demands hard work and dedication. There is talent in India, but it has to be harnessed properly over the years, and then the positive results slowly begin to come. Our obsession with medium pace for all seasons and conditions should change to get positive results. Good pace bowling attack is a must to win consistently and more so on foreign soil.


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Picture Post:

Netaji Subash Chandra Bose with Adolf Hitler in Germany
on 29 May 1942.

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