Steyn gears up to deliver another pace masterclass
MOHALI: Indian history is replete with invasions, and there is no shortage when it comes to cricket. Kiwi pace legend Richard Hadlee came for the first time in 1988-89 in search of his Test world record, and Imran Khan was looking to restore Pakistan’s pride in 1986-87. Despite the challenge India poses, the thrill it offers is a temptation too hard to resist. And Dale Steyn, after fulfilling adventures in 2008 and 2010, is back.
If his first morning’s spell in Ahmedabad in 2008 rattled India’s batting giants, his afternoon spell in Nagpur in 2010 blew away the mighty batting line-up within half an hour or so. Most pacers have a perception about India. The challenge of adapting to the SG ball, rank turners and the risk of running into Indian batting stalwarts all pull them down. Steyn has busted all these perceptions with his exploits in India.
“Pace through the air is really important. With the wickets here on the slow side, anything from 135 (kph) down, the batters are able to make the adjustment when the ball hits the deck. It’s the guys that bowl 145 (kph) plus who really rush the batters. The ball may be reversing, or there is something off the deck. One of the key things I have done here is maintain control. You’ve to land the new ball in the right areas,” he said. ATTACK LINE “It’s not rocket science. Jacques Kallis always used to say top of off-stump with the odd bouncer to any batter in the world is really difficult, and that’s generally it. But if you get a guy like Sachin, when you bowl top of off-stump, he will hit you through point. And if you bowl top of off to Vijay, he will probably hit you through covers, so it’s important to know where you want your fielder to be.
“It’s about getting into his head a little bit. Maybe looking at his last ten dismissals and if there has been an area where he has got out, putting a guy there and making him aware of that.
“And I love bowling in India because the grounds are quite flat. In South Africa, you’ve got this massive table where it feels like you are running uphill to bowl whereas here it feels like you are on a tartan track, you don’t have that extra leg work out. So, even though the wickets are not offering you a lot like pace and carry, your run up always feels smooth and the ball tends to come out quite nicely.”