Without pace, no end to India's away worries
India have had just three top class pacemen — Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan – who served the country for a reasonable period of time. (AP Photo)
India will continue to struggle against top Test teams away from home if they cannot shore up their bowling resources. The old dictum that bowlers win you matches holds as true today as it did in old times when it was coined.
You need to take 20 wickets to win a Test and against quality sides, this takes some doing, especially on foreign conditions. This foreign-condition factor becomes more obvious in case of teams like India who traditionally rely on spin to win matches.
So, while India have an excellent record at home in the last 20 years or so - when they began beating top sides at home regularly, eventually attaining the top rank in ICC Test rankings - their overseas record, while improving, remains very average. There is a considerable gap between India's home and away records, primarily because of the dearth of world class pace attack.
In most Test-playing countries outside the subcontinent, conditions are such that a team needs a formidable pace line-up for sustained success. India have had just three top class pacemen — Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan - who served the country for a reasonable period of time.
These men, as also some other talented pacers who fell away after fleeting encounter with glory (Irfan Pathan, Sreesanth...) contributed to some memorable triumphs for the team both at home and outside. But these men mostly had to ply their trade alone, without quality pace support from the other end. In Test match cricket, bowlers hunt in packs, working with each other to out-think, out-duel or simply smother batting units. The attack may have a spearhead, a bowler of outstandingquality, but even he needs good, consistent support from two-three other men to maximize his returns.
Indian bowlers: Test record during the last ten years
| |||||||
Matches
|
Wickets
|
Average
|
5WI
|
10WM
|
SR
| ||
Harbhajan
|
Home
|
37
|
169
|
31.85
|
9
|
2
|
68.5
|
Away
|
28
|
93
|
39.66
|
5
|
1
|
75.8
| |
Kumble
|
Home
|
22
|
115
|
30.57
|
9
|
3
|
66.2
|
Away
|
30
|
134
|
32.13
|
4
|
1
|
58.9
| |
Zaheer
|
Home
|
29
|
81
|
36.29
|
3
|
-
|
72.2
|
Away
|
33
|
139
|
29.33
|
4
|
-
|
50.8
| |
Ishant
|
Home
|
22
|
62
|
33.46
|
1
|
-
|
66.4
|
Away
|
31
|
87
|
42.63
|
2
|
1
|
72.0
| |
Ashwin
|
Home
|
15
|
95
|
24.12
|
9
|
2
|
51.1
|
Away
|
4
|
9
|
74.77
|
-
|
-
|
140.0
| |
Ojha
|
Home
|
20
|
101
|
27.51
|
7
|
1
|
63.5
|
Away
|
4
|
12
|
53.41
|
-
|
-
|
101.0
| |
A look at the greatest teams over the years tells us that their domination was to a large extent fuelled by deadly bowling units. It's not that they could have become world beaters without having great batsmen in the mix, but ultimately, those 20 wickets have to be taken.
Don Bradman's 'Invincibles' during the 1930-40s had the peerless batsman himself leading from the front. But he would certainly have struggled to win the aura of invincibility if he did not have the services of great bowlers like Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller, Bill O'Reilly and Bill Johnston at different points during his captaincy.
The all-conquering West Indian side of 1970-80s was probably the most feared teams in Test history. They also had a stellar batting line-up led by Viv Richards. But it was their fast bowling pack which sent shivers down the spine of terrified rivals who often lost the battle even before the toss. Who can forget the awesome sight of Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Joel Garner,Andy Roberts and Colin Croft tearing down the runway and hurrying off the pitch as batting reputations nose-dived, shaken and shattered. These legends were potent in all countries, including India.
Coming to Australia's domination of world cricket in the Steve Waugh-Ricky Ponting era, two men, who made the most critical contribution to the cause were Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne. They were supported by the likes of Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee, two thoroughbred fast bowlers. These four formed a very incisive bowling unit, troubling batsmen wherever they played.
South Africa, currently the top Test team in the world, owe much of their stupendous success to their pace attack led by the fiery Dale Steyn who has had great support from Morne Morkel,Jacques Kallis and, lately, Vernon Philander.
Australia's remarkable Ashes turnaround in the last few weeks has also been made possible by the pace and bounce of Mitchell Johnson who has been well supported by Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris.
At various other times, bowling duos have sparkled for their teams. Dennis Lillee-Jeff Thomson for Australia, Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis for Pakistan, Courtney Walsh-Curtly Ambrose for West Indies, Freddie Trueman-Brian Statham for England have stamped their mark on the game.
The point to be noted here is that most of these bowlers are fast bowlers. India, sadly, just do not have the firepower. Zaheer Khan is lacking in bite, Ishant Sharma, inconsistency personified, would not have got to play 50-plus Tests in any other leading Test nation, Md Shami is raw and untested while Bhuvneshwar Kumar does not have the pace and will be ineffective if the ball is not moving around. Other men on the fringes do not inspire much confidence.
Clearly, if India have to challenge the best in their conditions, they have to somehow develop a potent pace attack. How it can be done is for the BCCI to ponder. But what we have now is not going to answer the call
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