Speed is an exhilarating aspect of cricket. The sheer force and power of a fast bowler can leave batters stunned and bruised. Traditionally, Indian cricket has been associated with wristy batters and crafty spinners. However, the presence of Indian fast bowlers has always been a rarity, with the likes of Amar Singh, Mohammad Nissar, Kapil Dev, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, and now Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj.
Being present at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday to witness the havoc wreaked by Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami was a privilege. It was a display of supreme fast bowling at the highest level. In the world of ODIs, where the focus is often on the batters, the opening attack of the bowling unit is crucial in taking wickets, restricting runs, and occasionally intimidating the opposition with bouncers.
Considering this context, what the Indian fast bowlers did during the World Cup match was truly remarkable. Credit must be given to the coaching staff, both the current ones and the previous ones, including Ravi Shastri, B. Arun, Rahul Dravid, and Paras Mhambrey, for their guidance and mentorship. They have built upon the foundation set by their predecessors and are now reaping the rewards.
After Bumrah and Siraj made a significant impact by collectively taking four Sri Lankan wickets, it was then Shami’s turn to continue the relentless attack. There was no respite for the Sri Lankan batters, as the Indian fast bowlers continued to make surgical incisions with their skill and precision. They displayed accuracy, bowled a nagging line and length, generated steep bounce, and even exchanged a few words with the opposition.
The stumps were targeted, pads were ruffled, and edges were sought. With Bumrah and Shami supporting Siraj, Sri Lanka was left struggling. Bumrah’s figures of 1 for 8, Siraj’s figures of 3 for 16, and Shami’s figures of 5 for 18 are truly legendary. They even outshone the performances of Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Shreyas Iyer, who almost scored centuries each.
Twenty years after the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, where Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, and Ashish Nehra made a significant impact, their successors are once again dominating the field. The rival batters are left searching for solutions to counter the thunderbolts unleashed by the Indian pacers. As India faces South Africa at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens this Sunday, they can rely on their formidable arsenal of fast bowlers led by Rohit Sharma.
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