Ashwin, Shami: Is This Indian Bowling Unit One of the Best Ever?

It’s been rather refreshing to watch the Indian team bowl in the current Test series against England at home. The pitches this time, unlike the norm, aren’t raging turners, and yet the Indian bowlers have bowled brilliantly. And surprisingly, it is not just the spinners who are doing the job for Virat Kohli this time.The Indian fast bowlers, too, have put their hands up and on these dry surfaces are bowling with a lot of patience, maturity and smartness to get their wickets.The Indian Test team’s bowling attack looks well-rounded after a long time. With the variety this attack has and with the way they are excelling, the current Indian Test bowling unit is surely shaping up to be one of its best ever.Ashwin, Jadeja And The New Kid on the BlockIn the last couple of years, India has been riding on the emergence of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Probably the most successful spinner in the world today, Ashwin has been simply outstanding with his subtle variations and control.With left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja’s return to form, Ashwin has now got that much-needed support at the other end. With his relentless lines, Jadeja creates considerable pressure on the batsmen which ultimately leads to a wicket. It is the duo of Ashwin and Jadeja, which has been winning most Tests for India in the recent past.Ashwin has taken a whopping 121 wickets in the last 19 Tests for India while Jadeja has picked up 50 wickets in 11 Tests.Now, with the new spinner in the team, Jayant Yadav, impressing everyone with his maturity, discipline and ability to hold his own, an extra cushion has been provided to the attack. Eight wickets in two Tests at an average of 17.25 are impressive figures and although these are still very early days, the off-spinner really does seem to have a good head on his shoulders.However, to win Test matches convincingly and regularly, India needs a well-balanced bowling unit. Spinners alone can’t win them matches all the time.Indian Fast Bowlers Are Coming Into Their OwnThe Indian pacers – Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav – are steadily coming into their own and looking really impressive. Their good form means the Indian bowling has richness in variety and appears more robust than ever before.If one goes back to the 90s, the Indian side, while playing at home, usually went in with three spinners and one seamer. There would sometimes be a makeshift seam bowler assisting the lead pacer, and after ensuring that the shine of the ball had been taken off, the spinners would take over.But, now the times have changed, Shami and Yadav have a definite role to play.There was an interesting passage of play in the 3rd Test of the series at Mohali. After having taken a 134-run lead in the first innings, India had England on the mat in their second innings at 152-7.But then Haseeb Hameed and Chris Woakes put up a stern fight. Their 43-run stand had taken England’s lead to over 60 and the Indian team was just getting uncomfortable. The Indian spinners were not able to get the breakthrough.Kohli then brought in Mohammed Shami. Within the span of the next four deliveries, Shami plucked out Woakes and then Adil Rashid with two vicious bouncers. In fact, throughout that spell, Shami either kept bowling at the ribs of the batsmen or was surprising them with his sharp in-cutters.Umesh Yadav, meanwhile, has been doing a decent job. While he has not been overly successful and is, at times, wayward, he has been improving steadily every game. The deliveries that he produced to get rid of Johnny Bairstow in the second Test at Vishakapatnam and Chris Woakes in the 3rd Test at Mohali – both beaten by fast and inswinging full deliveries – were absolute corkers.His ability to swing the ball away at pace, and hurry the batsman, is fantastic and with a little more control, he will be a genuine threat overseas.What’s more is that Indian Test team’s bowling bench strength, too, looks quite healthy. Ishant Sharma and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar – both who were out with injuries for a brief period and who had been leading India’s pace attack in the recent past – are back in the squad.Then there is leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who is confident and provides another decent option to the team.The Real Test Will Come OverseasWhile it has been a revelation to watch the Indian bowling unit sharing responsibility and performing well together, their real test, undeniably, will come overseas. It is on the tours to England, South Africa, and Australia, that the real quality of this attack will come to the fore.India’s inability to pick 20 wickets in Tests on alien conditions has been their bane for a long time. Perhaps with the variety and the talent that this bowling bunch has been exuding, things will change.

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Ashwin, Shami: Is This Indian Bowling Unit One of the Best Ever?

The Indian Test team’s bowling attack looks well-rounded after a long time.

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Topics: Virat Kohli England Cricket Team India Cricket