5 part-time bowlers who did well for India in World Cups

Cricket is certainly a game of uncertainties. You will find multiple occasions when a main or a frontline bowler is unable to produce a breakthrough or break a partnership and that work is sometimes done by a part-time bowler, someone who rarely turns his arm over. Many times, part-timers are introduced into the attack just to give the frontline bowlers a breather but they end up taking key wickets.

Part-timers are sometimes called as the golden arm for the team. India have had a lot of part-timers in the past and a lot of captains loved using part-timers. Hence, here we look back at some of the part-timers who did well for the ‘Men in Blue’ in the World Cups. Here is a list of five.

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#5 Dinesh Mongia

Dinesh Mongia

Dinesh Mongia was a utility cricketer for India. He might not have taken the world by storm but he was used to going about his job quietly. He played for almost seven years but he was at his peak under Sourav Ganguly’s leadership as he played most of his games in 2002 and 2003.

He played just one World Cup and that was in 2003 when India reached the finals. While he could bat anywhere in the order, his left-arm spin was pretty handy as well. He had the knack of keeping things very quiet and also picking up an odd wicket here and there. The Chandigarh-born player bowled in 6 World Cup games and sent down 32.1 overs. He picked up 5 wickets and had an economy of 4.19.

His best bowling performance in the World Cup came against Namibia (2/24) but in that famous game against Pakistan, he picked up the prized scalp of Shahid Afridi. Hence, he was a more than a useful bowler and 5 out of his 14 ODI wickets came in the 2003 World Cup.

#4 Mohammad Azharuddin

Not a lot of people know that Mohammed Azharuddin could bowl as well. In fact, he has picked up 12 wickets in ODI cricket in his career. He has bowled over close to 95 overs in international cricket. But that was early on in his career.

Azharuddin has played four World Cups (1987, 1992, 1996, 1999) but bowled in only the first one. He bowled in seven games and picked up five wickets. In his very first World Cup game which was against Australia, he took a three-wicket haul as he helped India wrap up the Aussie tail and helped them win the game.

That was a very productive World Cup for the stylish Hyderabadi player as showcased multiple skills and that set the tone for his career. In fact, he went onto lead India in the next three World Cups and was a vital member of the batting line-up as well.

#3 Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly often provided an extra seam bowling option.

There was a time when India liked playing with a few part-timers and Sourav Ganguly was one of them. He was very useful with his medium pace and could be pretty effective as well. In fact, he has taken 100 wickets in his ODI career and has taken a couple of fifers as well.

Ganguly took part in three World Cups and was the captain in one of them (2003) where he led India to the final. He took 10 wickets in his World Cup career and one of his most notable spells at the mega event was the one against England in 1999.

He took 3/27 (which included the big wicket of Nasser Hussain) as he helped India defend 233. He picked up another three-for in 2003 when he helped India defend 255 against Zimbabwe.

He ran through the Zimbabwean middle-order and broke the back of their batting line-up as he picked up 3/22. Hence, Ganguly was a very effective part-timer.

#2 Robin Singh

Robin Singh

Robin Singh was one of the few players who was born outside India but ended up playing for the ‘Men in Blue’. He was one of the best fielders of his generation. He never set the stage on fire with the bat or ball but he was a handy cricketer. Even though he was identified as an all-rounder, his medium pace filled in as the sixth bowler.

He played in the 1999 World Cup and took 8 wickets, finishing as India’s fourth highest wicket-taker of the tournament. Those 8 wickets included a fifer which came against Sri Lanka. That game is famously known for Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid’s exploits with the bat. However, in that game, Robin produced a fifer as he ran through the Sri Lankan middle and lower order.

He also pouched a couple of key wickets against Australia. He got the wickets of Mark Waugh and Ricky Ponting breaking important partnerships. Thus, he was another utility bowler who could take key wickets and break partnerships.

#1 Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh picked up 15 wickets in the 2011 World Cup.

Yuvraj Singh was one of the best part-timers India have ever produced. He had the knack of picking up important wickets and at crucial junctures as well. In fact, Kevin Pietersen termed him as a ‘pie-chucker’.

He’s played three World Cups and has picked up 20 wickets and features in the top 10 wicket-takers for India in World Cups. The 2011 World Cup remains the highlight of the Punjab cricketer. His all-round show was one of the reasons for India’s title triumph. In that tournament, Yuvraj not only won games with the bat, he also turned games around with the ball. He picked up 15 wickets in that 2011 mega-event and consistently churned out breakthroughs.

He picked up a five-wicket haul against Ireland but some of his telling contributions came in the quarters, semis and the final where he picked up two wickets in each game.

Hence, Yuvraj will go down as one of the best part-timers to have played the World Cup.