India need to get bowling balance
MANOEUVRING India got SA 286 all out but Bhuvneshwar apart, their other pacers looked confused about their roles
CAPE TOWN: Dale Steyn has been ruled out of the first Test and likely the series but that still doesn’t weaken South Africa’s bowling attack. India though can’t say the same despite having a fit line-up. The palpable difference is due to the clarity of roles among South Africa bowlers, something India seem to lack. And it would be among things the visitors would have contemplated after the third day’s play was washed out at Newlands on Sunday.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been the standout bowler with four wickets so far. His pace has increased but Kumar still relies mainly on swing, for which he needs to pitch it up. It involves a fair amount of risk, of getting carted even if slightly overpitched.
That explains why he had the highest economy
(4.57) among the five Indian bowlers in the first innings.
In the South Africa second innings, Hardik Pandya (4.25) has given away most runs per over, but dislodged both wickets.
The captain of a side should not fret over runs conceded by the bowler as long as he gets wickets.
But that leaves other bowlers with the responsibility of either curtailing the run flow or chip in with wickets. Unfortunately, the rest of the bowling line-up seemed confused about their roles.
In the first innings, only two bowlers averaged less than three – Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami. But why bowl the world’s top spinner for just seven overs when the less-experienced Pandya (4.41) and Jasprit Bumrah (3.84) were allowing South Africa to maintain a run rate of over four?
ASHWIN IMPRESSES
During the five-over spell Ashwin bowled in tandem with Kumar and Shami, Quinton de Kock impatiently threw away his wicket and Keshav Maharaj was dropped by Shikhar Dhawan at slip.
It was clear Ashwin was making things happen, but he was pulled out of the attack with South Africa at 221/7 and just two overs before lunch. Had he been persisted with, South Africa could have ended for less. And then there was Shami bowling without rhythm for a long time despite changing ends. Bowling good length may fetch maidens -- Shami got six in the first innings -- but it doesn’t threaten the batsmen enough. And Shami was supposed to be India’s strike bowler! That might have been the main reason Kohli opened with Bumrah in the second innings as he didn’t want to waste the new ball.
But Bumrah’s inexperience at this level was always going to be an impediment. South Africa openers had no problem scoring once they got a hang of the conditions.
Apart from being more experienced, South Africa’s bowling looks sorted too. Vernon Philander is in charge of bowling the stifling line, a la Glenn McGrath; Morne Morkel has bounce working for him while Kagiso Rabada is a wellrounded strike bowler who was happy to bowl after senior Steyn.
The hosts may be down a pacer for this Test, but South Africa still tick all boxes to qualify as a superior pace attack.
India can’t say the same. Pandya is a work in progress while Bumrah is still building the stamina to bowl long spells.
Ishant Sharma, who had famously not shied away from bowling that extra ninth over when skipper Anil Kumble and Delhi teammate Virender Sehwag asked him ‘ek aur daalega?’ at Perth in Australia on the 2008 tour, would have been a better bet if India wanted to maintain pressure from both ends.
Botched up selection? Probably, but India have no other choice but to live with that for the next two days.
BHUVNESHWAR HAS BEEN THE STANDOUT BOWLER WITH FOUR WICKETS. HIS PACE HAS INCREASED BUT HE STILL RELIES MAINLY ON SWING, FOR WHICH HE NEEDS TO PITCH IT UP.
Brief scores: South Africa 286 and 65/2 (A Markram 34; H Pandya 2-17) vs India 209