Hidden Greatness

Every time an Indian team achieves greatness by conquering improbable peaks, its batsmen are always extolled while the critical architects for the win are forgotten by critics, experts, media and fans. Think of Kolkata, 2001, you have VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid forging a historic partnership on the fourth day. Think of Adelaide, 2003, you have Rahul Dravid scoring a double hundred and even scoring a match winning 50 second time around. Think of Mohali, 2010, you have VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma fighting out from an altogether impossible position. And how many of us, remember the fabulous Harbhajan Singh performance in 2001? How many think of Ajit Agarkar when we say Adelaide, 2003? How many critics credit Pragyan Ojha, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan for this historic win at Mohali? It has always been the case with Indian cricket. There is a certain love that Indians have with their batsmen, more than their bowlers.

The leader of the pack, Zaheer Khan’s story should serve as an inspiration for many. He did not become such a great exponent of swing overnight. Zaheer had to endure injuries, loss of form and even had to sit out of the national team. But, his wealth of experience has brought him to this position in his career.

The stage and the limelight are almost always hogged by the batsmen who’ve touched greatness and sanctity over a period of time. All this while, the bowlers, mostly tend to play their part in the backstage. While the team might realize their real contribution, it is time that the world realizes how much the bowlers have done to take India to their No.1 status.

Former Australia captain, Ian Chappell reckons India has a weak bowling unit, feared by none and hence will be a disputed World No.1. Chappell goes on to add, “India floated to the top of the rankings by default, and even though they have remained at No. 1, their form doesn’t suggest, other than to a misinformed computer, a stranglehold on the position. While India still has strength in batting, there has never been any indication that the bowling attack was one to be feared – unless it was by a ball boy with an aversion to fetching and throwing.”

This was Ian Chappell’s remarks during India’s last test tour to Sri Lanka. While it is true that, India’s spearhead and most experienced fast bowler was missing that tour, India did not do very badly in that tour, given the fact that they were carrying a couple of bowlers who were struggling for form coupled with injury and a new fast bowler in international circuit.

A glance at India’s recent test wins, including the latest at Mohali, shows how much the bowlers have contributed to help Dhoni claim victory at each and every post right from Hamilton to Colombo to Kolkata.

I’m not going to say it is just because of bowlers, India have won games. But, I would stress on the fact that India indeed has a bowling unit for all conditions and a bowling unit that a World No.1 team will indeed possess.

Indian team is tagged as “slow starters” especially while touring abroad. New Zealand was an exception when the team registered a historic victory when its bowlers contributed as much as its batsmen. To get a home team dismissed under 300 twice within five days speaks volumes about the variety the team possesses with its fast bowling and spin resources.

Wellington is supposed to be a ground where conditions aid swing bowling very much. While the batsmen did extremely well to score runs, the bowlers did justice to their talent by almost securing a win. 18 wickets is what they could get and if they had a few decisions going their way, India might have finished the test tour to New Zealand with a 2-0 win.

Sri Lanka’s tour to India at the end of 2009, started with tons of runs being scored by batsmen from both teams. However, the bowlers stepped up to the task at Kanpur and Mumbai to finally make, India the No.1 test team in the world.

Who can forget Sreesanth’s comeback effort at Kanpur? He mastered the art of reverse swing that day and broke Sri Lanka’s batting order into pieces. Zaheer followed it with yet-another 5-wicket haul, this time in Mumbai.

Sreesanth’s spell in Johannesburg and Ishant’s efforts at Perth are part of India’s historic performances in the last decade. If at all, there is something that is missing in their travel bags, it is the pounds of experience the other legends had while playing for world’s Numero Uno teams.

But all this is overshadowed by power-packed batting performance from India’s top order.

Another important win against South Africa came at Kolkata earlier this year. This win, reaffirmed India’s position as World No.1 test team. The lasting image from that game is the whole of Indian team chasing a roaring Harbhajan Singh running crazy around Eden Gardens. While, Harbhajan Singh is still under the scanner for most of the critics, he produced one of his best spells of bowling in that test. Kolkata brings the best in him and if not for his 48.3-23-59-5, South Africa might have drawn that test.

Even during the last tour of Sri Lanka, India’s bowlers, who in Chappell’s words were feared by none, stepped up to the occasion in the 3rd test. The bowlers turned the tide in India’s favor on the fourth morning when they reduced the hosts to 125-8 by lunch. And then, VVS Laxman played yet-another magical knock to take India home.

Every time when the bowlers would have otherwise got credit for helping the team win, VVS Laxman manages to do enough to take away that credit from them. His unbeaten in 73 proved that once again!

While VVS Laxman has every right to receive all accolades for his performance, it was the bowlers who set up this win for India. After Ponting was run out on the first day, the spinners had a complete stranglehold of the game. Runs dried up quickly and in turn, brought wickets. Similarly, when the game was going out of India’s hands on the fourth morning, Ishant’s short spell of hostile bowling brought the game back in India’s favor.

Many felt that the Man of the Match award should have gone to VVS Laxman for playing that very special innings during that epic chase at Mohali. Much to the surprise, Zaheer Khan bagged the award. It was a small recognition for the effort the bowlers keep doing day-in and day-out.

More often than not, it is nothing but a gross underestimation of India’s bowling resources when experts and opponent captains believe that India don’t possess a bowling unit looks a part of a World No.1 team. While it might be partly true when they say, India don’t possess big stars like Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, two of Australia’s most critical weapons in Australia’s armory when they were No.1, or bowlers of the caliber of legendary Caribbean bowlers who were part of the world beating West Indian side in the 70s and 80s, India’s bowlers have their own way to dictating terms in both helpful and alien conditions.

Every world beating unit, will have its own strengths and weakness. While teams like the Australia of 90s and 00s and West Indies of 70s and 80s had a great bowling unit, they didn’t possess a batting line up as strong as India’s batting line up of the last decade.

India plays the game in a completely different way from what Australia and West Indies did. While the other champion teams expect to win games with the ball, India’s strength lies with their batsmen.

But, teams still need to pick 20 wickets to win a test. Scoring loads of runs can set you games and in occasions, even help in saving test matches. But, winning happens only when bowlers pick wickets. India is a growing bowling unit. Zaheer Khan is slowly going towards being tagged as a “great of Indian cricket”. Harbhajan Singh produces magical spell time and again. After Kumble’s retirement, Harbhajan has risen up to the occasion in conditions that aid spin bowling. His feat at Hamilton test (2009) showed that he can make the ball turn even in an arena which is not supportive.

After Kumble’s retirement, Harbhajan has risen up to the occasion in conditions that aid spin bowling. His feat at Hamilton test (2009) showed that he can make the ball turn even in an arena which is not supportive.

Pragyan Ojha and Amit Mishra have showed their class in world cricket already. Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma are no push overs in test arena. When they bowl in helpful conditions, they will be more than handful. Sreesanth’s spell in Johannesburg and Ishant’s efforts at Perth are part of India’s historic performances in the last decade. If at all, there is something that is missing in their travel bags, it is the pounds of experience the other legends had while playing for world’s Numero Uno teams.

In the next year or two, the fast bowlers will be presented with opportunities to bowl in friendly tracks in South Africa, England and Australia. These bowlers will mature better with every spell of bowling against different batsmen at different venues in different situations.

And there is always a possibility that they might play on placid tracks in India, slow and low pitches in West Indies. There would be days when the unit might fail and the opponents would score loads of runs. But, with every failure the growth would only become better. The leader of the pack, Zaheer Khan’s story should serve as an inspiration for many. He did not become such a great exponent of swing overnight. Zaheer had to endure injuries, loss of form and even had to sit out of the national team. But, his wealth of experience has brought him to this position in his career.

Each and every time the team needed to win a test, the bowling unit has risen up to the occasion. Whenever, India has been pushed to a corner, these have been the same bowlers who’ve performed to the fullest. They might not have the same aura of a Holding or a Warne, but they certainly work well as a group of men who are learning the trade with every passing day. Even in the recent Mohali test, Pragyan Ojha played a crucial role in tightening things up from one end post lunch on the first day. This effort, in some way helped the home team reap success at the end of the test match. It is a stunning fact that India bowled with only three main bowlers and still didn’t let the pressure go away for a major part of Australia’s first innings at Mohali.

People might think India’s road to No.1 is only because of their, star-studded on-stage heroes, batsmen. But, the bulk of the workload in times of victory and failure on this road is mainly handled by the architects and designers behind the stage, the bowlers!