Lacking firepower in pace, Indian women lose
CHANDIGARH: Once known for producing—and being heavily dependent on—great spinners, the Indian men’s team owe their recent success to an array of fast bowlers instead. The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and Mohammad Siraj have changed the face of Indian bowling.
The Indian women’s team could sorely do with a similar transformation. The team’s rise post the 2017 World Cup has seen strong batters and promising spinners being unearthed and nurtured, but when it comes to pace, there’s hardly anything to talk about outside of the 38-year-old Jhulan Goswami, now nearing two decades in international cricket.
Goswami almost singlehandedly shoulders the pace department for India and the lack of support was starkly exposed in India’s nine wicket loss to Australia on a bouncy pitch at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. The Australians, even without their star bowler Megan Schutt, troubled India with teenage pacers Darcie Brown and Hannah Darlington—playing in only their second and first ODIs respectively—restricting India to 225 for 8. Brown, 18, picked up 4 for 33 runs and Darlington 2 for 29 in the first match of a threematch ODI series.
On the other hand, the Indian seamers—Jhulan Goswami, debutant Meghna Singh and Pooja Vastrakar—went wicketless as Australia romped home losing just a single wicket and with nine overs to spare. The now-fading Shikha Pandey was left out of the XI.
The fact that Goswami, who made her debut in 2002, has taken 12 wickets in her last eight ODIs and Pandey two in three games speaks of India’s inability to make breakthroughs.
“The kinds of wickets we have in the domestic tournaments are suitable for just spinners,” former India fast bowler Amita Sharma said, speaking about India’s lack of pacers. “Fast bowlers are largely there to get the shine off from the ball. In North India, the conditions still favour the quickies but other than that spinners rule.”
Vastrakar, the lanky bowler from Madhya Pradesh, was pulled from the attack after she leaked 26 runs in just two overs. The 21-year-old has now gone eight ODIs without a wicket. India has also tested seamers like Komal Zanzad and Monica Patel in past series but none of them have impressed enough to make the cut for the big stage. Arundhati Reddy too has been inconsistent with her pace.
“Jhulan is past her prime and I don’t think Shikha is in the scheme of things at the moment. So, the coaches need to work extensively with what seaming options are available. In five months too, a lot can be done,” said Sharma with the World Cup in mind.
At the moment, the Indian set up has no fast bowling coach and no separate training sessions for the pacers.
“There should have been a plan in place to pick a pool of 10-12 seamers from across India and organise special camps for them and also send them to foreign shores for exposure keeping the global tournaments in mind,” Sharma said.
“Look at what Bharat Arun (Indian men’s team’s bowling coach) has done with the men’s team. He has been outstanding for Indian fast bowlers. Quick bowlers are coming out from small places in India and making their mark.”
Sharma, who took 87 wickets in 116 ODIs she played for India, said that the Indian bowlers lacked a plan in the first ODI too. The Australian seamers got Indian wickets with short balls and pace. The Indians tried to use the same tactics, but simply did not have the necessary speed. “The Australians are best at playing pull and cut shots, so the Indians bowled to their strength actually,” Sharma said. “Also, if you insist on playing bowling all-rounders they can’t make you win in either Australia or New Zealand.”
Brief scores: India 225 for 8 in 50 overs (M Raj 63; D Brown 4/33, H Darlington 2/29) Australia 227/1 in 41 overs (R Haynes 93 not out, A Healy 77, M Lanning 53 not out)