Cricket-22 Yards
DEMAND FOR FAST BOWLERS IN INDIAN CRICKET
Why there is a demand for fast bowlers in Indian cricket? Each time when we discuss this issue, we receive different views and comments. Let’s discuss.
It is strongly recommended to improve the level of standard and the number of first class cricket played in India, which is the place to develop the basics. Unfortunately, our youngsters play less first class cricket and too much limited overs cricket. In first class cricket(four day match), bowlers has to dismiss the batting side to win the games. Whereas, in T20’s and ODI’s bowlers try to contain the flow of runs, and there is too much of money in T20 cricket.
Too much of cricket leads to burnout, injuries that compels the bowlers to reduce their pace and abandon their strength for longevity. Fast bowling is not just bowling at a raw pace of 150 kmph. Swing, accuracy and bowling at a good line and length are sometimes much more effective. But, we have bowlers who either bowl accurate not fast or the bowlers who bowl fast not accurate. The bowlers who does both effectively gets injured frequently and sacrifices their pace for longevity. Coaches have to train bowlers to increase their accuracy without sacrificing their pace.
We need to work harder on our fitness. Some fast bowlers get fade away after injuries due to wrong practices. The fast bowlers need a lot of guidance and nurturing, sometimes excessive workout in gyms and not bowling enough may also affect there rhythm.
Conditions and pitches in India can never be like that of Australia, South Africa or England. Indian bowlers are brought up on flat pitches, which discourages the kids who want to become a fast bowler. Most of the pitches in India are either a flat track or a turning track. PCA stadium track in Mohali which is often dubbed as the fast bowlers track in India is losing(lost) its identity where the pitches are prepared to support batting due to IPL matches where they need high scoring games. Most of the pitch curators in India are forced to prepare either a flat track that supports batsman or a turning track that supports spinner, they don’t want a pitch that supports a fast bowler, because all the visiting teams have stronger pace bowling unit than India.
After the retirement of Anil Kumble, fast bowlers are the one who took lot of wickets in test matches than the spinners(before Ashwin-Jadeja era) which is a rare fact in Indian cricket. Yes, our fast bowlers are good, but, they are not consistent. Injuries visit every fast bowler, even bowlers like Dale Steyn, Brett lee gets injured but when they return, they don’t sacrifice their pace, instead they work hard on their fitness. Inspite of flat pitches in Pakistan, they produce quality fast bowlers traditionally, because they have a culture which encourages youngsters to take up fast bowling. So, injuries, conditions and pitches are no excuses. It’s the attitude that lacks among Indian bowlers.
India is a country where people are excellent when they have to use their cerebral more than their body. We are good at brainy games such as chess, billiards, shooting. Parents in India want their kids to be smarter and they feel great by being smarter. When it comes to cricket they prefer to become a batsman where the chances of injuries are less. Longevity, fame and minimum physical activity impress the youngsters to choose batting over bowling. Moreover, batsmen in India are the ones who were conferred with awards and tagged as National heroes. Sachin Tendulkar and M.S.Dhoni are the only cricketer’s who were conferred with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award (India’s highest honor given for achievement in sports), where the former is a batsman and the latter is a wicket-keeping batsman. The two bowlers who were treated as national heroes in Indian cricket history were Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble. Unfortunately, Kapil Dev retired long back and Kumble is a spinner. We need fast bowlers. We need to enjoy the sight of stumps being knocked cleanly out of the track as much as the ball flying out of the stadium. It’s the bowlers who win you matches, to win matches abroad (out of Indian-subcontinent) you need good fast bowlers.
Purushothaman Ramachandran
DEMAND FOR FAST BOWLERS IN INDIAN CRICKET
Why there is a demand for fast bowlers in Indian cricket? Each time when we discuss this issue, we receive different views and comments. Let’s discuss.
It is strongly recommended to improve the level of standard and the number of first class cricket played in India, which is the place to develop the basics. Unfortunately, our youngsters play less first class cricket and too much limited overs cricket. In first class cricket(four day match), bowlers has to dismiss the batting side to win the games. Whereas, in T20’s and ODI’s bowlers try to contain the flow of runs, and there is too much of money in T20 cricket.
Too much of cricket leads to burnout, injuries that compels the bowlers to reduce their pace and abandon their strength for longevity. Fast bowling is not just bowling at a raw pace of 150 kmph. Swing, accuracy and bowling at a good line and length are sometimes much more effective. But, we have bowlers who either bowl accurate not fast or the bowlers who bowl fast not accurate. The bowlers who does both effectively gets injured frequently and sacrifices their pace for longevity. Coaches have to train bowlers to increase their accuracy without sacrificing their pace.
We need to work harder on our fitness. Some fast bowlers get fade away after injuries due to wrong practices. The fast bowlers need a lot of guidance and nurturing, sometimes excessive workout in gyms and not bowling enough may also affect there rhythm.
Conditions and pitches in India can never be like that of Australia, South Africa or England. Indian bowlers are brought up on flat pitches, which discourages the kids who want to become a fast bowler. Most of the pitches in India are either a flat track or a turning track. PCA stadium track in Mohali which is often dubbed as the fast bowlers track in India is losing(lost) its identity where the pitches are prepared to support batting due to IPL matches where they need high scoring games. Most of the pitch curators in India are forced to prepare either a flat track that supports batsman or a turning track that supports spinner, they don’t want a pitch that supports a fast bowler, because all the visiting teams have stronger pace bowling unit than India.
After the retirement of Anil Kumble, fast bowlers are the one who took lot of wickets in test matches than the spinners(before Ashwin-Jadeja era) which is a rare fact in Indian cricket. Yes, our fast bowlers are good, but, they are not consistent. Injuries visit every fast bowler, even bowlers like Dale Steyn, Brett lee gets injured but when they return, they don’t sacrifice their pace, instead they work hard on their fitness. Inspite of flat pitches in Pakistan, they produce quality fast bowlers traditionally, because they have a culture which encourages youngsters to take up fast bowling. So, injuries, conditions and pitches are no excuses. It’s the attitude that lacks among Indian bowlers.
India is a country where people are excellent when they have to use their cerebral more than their body. We are good at brainy games such as chess, billiards, shooting. Parents in India want their kids to be smarter and they feel great by being smarter. When it comes to cricket they prefer to become a batsman where the chances of injuries are less. Longevity, fame and minimum physical activity impress the youngsters to choose batting over bowling. Moreover, batsmen in India are the ones who were conferred with awards and tagged as National heroes. Sachin Tendulkar and M.S.Dhoni are the only cricketer’s who were conferred with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award (India’s highest honor given for achievement in sports), where the former is a batsman and the latter is a wicket-keeping batsman. The two bowlers who were treated as national heroes in Indian cricket history were Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble. Unfortunately, Kapil Dev retired long back and Kumble is a spinner. We need fast bowlers. We need to enjoy the sight of stumps being knocked cleanly out of the track as much as the ball flying out of the stadium. It’s the bowlers who win you matches, to win matches abroad (out of Indian-subcontinent) you need good fast bowlers.
Purushothaman Ramachandran
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