Back where the revolution began
With Bumrah’s debut on the 2018 South Africa tour, Indian pace pack started a run that could reach greater heights with a maiden series win
NEW DELHI:
Indian fast bowlers have had their moments on South Africa’s lively pitches, but it was on his last trip to South Africa almost four years ago that skipper Virat Kohli saw a seed sprout. The ambition to put together a potent pace attack that can deliver overseas took wings on one of Indian cricket’s most progressive calls—Jasprit Bumrah.
Kohli had a promising pace attack at his command, its pedigree apparent though the potential was yet to be fully unlocked. Handing Bumrah--he had made a big impact in white-ball cricket but was largely untested at first-class level—his Test debut and his disproving skeptics was a game changer.
When Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Bumrah and Hardik Pandya landed in Cape Town in December 2017, they evoked anticipation.
There was, of course, a prelude. The 2015 series win in Sri Lanka, for one. Kumar Sangakkara’s farewell assignment was dominated by Ravichandran Ashwin—he retired after the second Test, after being dismissed by the spinner in all four innings. But an enduring memory of the 2-1 series win is Kohli telling a news conference that an angry fast bowler is a captain’s delight. The audacious statement laid the attacking template he fancied.
Things fall into place
Sure enough, in the next few years Kohli’s form and influence grew, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav found second wind, Shami became a Test regular and Bumrah rose through the ranks. Pandya’s all-round skills too were realised. Indian pacers, peripheral at home and far from a potent force abroad, were set for a huge upgrade.
The arrival of Bharat Arun as the bowling coach worked wonders for the pace attack, pushing the bowlers to work on their pace and skill. Even at home, the new-ball bowlers made it daunting for visiting teams, aside from the worldclass spin on helpful pitches.
It was with this arsenal that Kohli set out on an overseas circuit that has defined his captaincy. Be it the close defeat in the 2018 South Africa series (1-2), the 1-4 loss that followed in England, the sweep against West Indies (2-0) home and away, or the twin series wins in Australia (2-1 in 2018-19 and 2020-21), they all had one image– staring, smiling fast men running over batters in their backyard.
Hit on the helmet, rapped on the knuckles, yorked and beaten by variations, batters realised India too had a pace pack that hunted with assured menace.
India’s pace attack boasts of the best average and strike rate—overall, at home and away among major Test teams since the last trip to South Africa. With 420 wickets from 39 matches—from January 1, 2018 to the first Ashes Test this month.
Best in most counts
Only the England pace attack has more wickets—549 from 47 Tests. CricViz data though shows that the Indians score on other key metrics—average (23.7) and strike rate (47.6).
Former India pacer Zaheer Khan, who has been on four tours of South Africa, reckons this is India’s best chance to become only the second Asian team, after Sri Lanka in 2019, to win a series there.
“Our fast bowlers are certainly good to take 20 wickets in each Test. They have been performing consistently all over the world. It’s a good, balanced attack. The best part is that we have enough variety within the unit. We have a tall bowler like Ishant Sharma to extract extra bounce from awkward lengths and someone like Shami who with his prominent seam position can move the ball both ways off the deck. Then we’ve Jasprit Bumrah, who is truly world class and has created problems for batters with pace and guile,” Khan said.
In the three-Test series in 2018, Umesh Yadav didn’t get a game and Ishant Sharma, who had toured South Africa twice earlier, was benched for the first Test in Cape Town and Bumrah handed his debut.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s omission for the second Test at Centurion despite his solid show in Cape Town was controversial. But it also reflected India’s pace riches.
Indian pacers took 50 of the 60 wickets in that series. Only
Australia (52) and England (64) have since claimed more among teams visiting South Africa, though but both have played a Test more. As per CricViz, India’s 50 wickets came at the best economy rate (2.93), second-best average (22.48) and strike rate (45.9).
The Indian pacers return to the country where they were launched as a unified force.
There is no Bhuvneshwar and Ishant Sharma’s form has tapered off, but Mohammed Siraj, Shami and Bumrah are as good as any other trio. Add Shardul Thakur’s all-round abilities, and India have enviable resources.
The series thus presents the pacers weaned on an attacking philosophy the chance to complete a winning cycle.