Pace Bowlers the Run Machine of India

After 3 ODIs and 1 T2O at home, Indian bowlers have conceded
304 (6.14), 304 (6.08), 359 (7.18) and 201 (10.05), Barring Jadeja and Bhuvaneshwar, none of the bowlers have hit the right length nor stuck to a good line. Indian death bowling is abysmal to say the least. It has been a while since the bowlers have actually won a match for India. Today the horrors of the 90s and early 2000 have revisited us.

Back in the Srinath-Prasad-Agarkar era 250 used to be a par score that most teams would defend; if the new ball didn’t yield wickets, then the slow bowlers would stifle the flow of runs and break the partnerships, leaving teams to slog in the death overs with less wickets in hand. Back then India had a different plan, they knew that their strength was batting and always aimed for a bit extra to help their bowlers. Bowling has always been India’s problem; we can’t find a decent reliable on even using Aladdin’s magic lamp.

In this day and age, 300 is the new 250 and most teams would defend it, barring India. Ever since Jadeja and Ashwin have landed and strengthen the batting along with MSD, India has played with 3 seamers and 2 spinners even in India. But that hasn’t solved their bowling problem. In every match one bowler has lost his rhythm and a part-timers have to step in. Today Ashwin was down and hence Yuvraj and Kolhi had to roll their arms. And for God’s sake, Virat is a semi-part-timer, if there is a word as such. Seems like India are heading back to the 90’s depending on batsman to dig them out of grave each and every time.

Not being too critical on the 30-run 48th over to a lower order batsman, but Ishant in the last 4 games has gone for 63, 70, 56, 52, and last being in a T20, His bowling average at home is 36 with a economy of 5.9, very mediocre for some one who should be a leader of the pack now. For someone who has height and gets good lift from the pitch, he neither bowls a bouncer well nor a Yorker and not even a slower one. He bowls good length at the death when you are least expected to bowl. Bowls a bad ball and after getting punished waits for someone put arms around his shoulder and console him.

Praveen Kumar the Meerut lad jumped in the scene with his prodigious swing both ways. At time he would swing it in more than Murli would spin it in to the right-handers. Though his average of 36 after 68 ODI’s isn’t impressive he was India’s go to man with new ball who could provide the early brake through. With lack of pace and variation after the pitch up deliveries made him very predictable and batsman would like him up. 

Over the past year or so, Umesh had been tried and entrusted to bowl in the death, but controlling the swing at pace was his major problem and would end up going for plenty. One of his reasons for downfalls were his inswingers to righthander end up on the leg stump only to be flicked to fine leg.

Vinay Kumar has now played 29 ODIs for India averages 36 with and 5.7 eco, and has been mediocre at the best. He is good in patches where his stock delivery the out swinger, works sometimes. But again when entrusted to bowl in the death he along with Ishant go for plenty. For someone who bowls at 80 Mph, he tries the bouncer, which ends up being a hit-me ball. If only he focuses on the away going good length, he can do his career and India some good.

In the 13 ODI’s of Ashok Dinda the only thing we can remember is his black headband and a jump at the crease and the 51 run average. For some of short stature, he had a big heart and consistently hit 140 Kmph, but that is where it ended. He had a good slower delivery and nice outswinger but over does the bouncer and gets bounced off.

The new kid in the block, Mohammed Shami impressed everyone with his upright seam and nip of the surface. This Bengal lad along with Bhuvi formed a good opening pair in the early part of the year and continued to impress in Zim and the India-A tour. He bowls in the right areas and pitches up to the bat, though he goes for runs, at least he has most things right.

The best of the lot is Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, who literally is India’s only hope, in the opening spell, in the powerplays and in the death. For some one who swings the ball both ways, he should be bowling 10 over on the trot when the ball is new. But lack of death bowling options has forced him to bowl in the death. With a short stature and lack of pace he can’t bowl a bouncer and has to rely on the slower one and Yorkers if he wants to succeed in the death.

So where does this lead us to, Mohit has had good T20 and Zim series, Unadkat has improved from where he debuted. Dhawal and Nayar are the top wicket takers in the domestic circuit, are mediocre at best. U-19 star Sandeep Sharma and Royal’s VS Malik has shown signs of glitter.

And just to add Zaheer isn’t getting younger and stronger, we could be lucky if he makes it to the 2015 World Cup. India has a long way to convert their Run machines to wicket machines. And did I miss the Injured Irfan? Well we never really did.