5 instances when India's fast bowlers overshadowed their spinners on home soil

When you think of Test matches in India, you usually tend to think about either dusty surfaces which aid the spinners right throughout or flat pitches which are good for batting on most days and crumble on the last couple of days.

Since pitches with live grass are a rarity in India, the team's fast bowlers generally act as support bowlers. With the new ball not swing much on subcontinental conditions, they only come into the game when the ball starts reversing.

Thus, the bulk of the wickets are taken by the spinners on most days and it is no secret that India relies on their spinners to deliver victories. However, there have also been occasions when the Indian pacers overshadowed their spinners by taking more than 60 percent of the wickets. Let us take a look at five such instances.

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#5 Against New Zealand in Kolkata (2016) – 12 wickets (60%)

Ahead of the second Test at the Eden Gardens, there was a visible layer of grass on the pitch. After opting to bat first, India started off badly as they were reduced to 46/3. However, important knocks from Cheteshwar Pujara (87), Ajinkya Rahane (77) and Wriddhiman Saha (54) helped them reach 316.

Indian bowlers responded brilliantly on a track that was offering plenty of assistance to the pacers. Bhuvneshwar Kumar ran through the middle order by picking up 5/48. Mohammed Shami supported him well by contributing three wickets. The visitors were bowled out for 204.

India scored 263 in the second innings with Rohit Sharma (82) and Saha (58*) compiling hard-fought fifties. Defending 376, the Indian bowlers routed New Zealand for 197 to surge to an unassailable 2-0 lead. Shami (3/46) and Bhuvneshwar (1/28) played major roles in India's triumph.

#4 Against England at Bombay (1981) – 12 wickets (60%)

Madan Lal registered his career best figures of 5/23 against England at Bombay

In the 1981/82 season, England toured India for a Test series after five years. The opening match of the six-Test series was at the Wankhede Stadium in Bombay.

India opted to bat first after winning the toss and crumbled to 179 all out as Ian Botham and Graham Dilley ripped through their batting line-up. With their batting counterparts not rising to the occasion, the Indian bowlers brought the hosts back into the game. Dilip Doshi took 5/39 to restrict England to 166. Kapil Dev and Madan Lal chipped in with a wicket apiece.

On a difficult pitch, the Indian batting lineup managed to reach a fighting total of 227 in the second innings. Chasing 241 for victory, the visitors would have factored the threat posed by the spinners. However, it was the seam duo of Kapil Dev and Madan Lal who ran through the England line-up to propel India to an emphatic 138-run victory.

While Kapil took 5/70, Madan registered his career best figures of 5/23 to help the hosts take a 1-0 lead. It was the first time in the history of Indian cricket that their pacers took all ten wickets in an innings at home.

#3 Against West Indies in Ahmedabad (1983) – 14 wickets (70%)

Kapil Dev took 9 wickets in the second innings

In the third Test of the 1983/84 series against West Indies, the Indian team played three fast bowlers (Kapil Dev, Balwinder Sandhu and Roger Binny) – something which was quite rare in home conditions.

But a lively Motera pitch demanded such a combination. After opting to bowl first, India didn’t quite make use of the conditions as West Indies posted 281. In what was expected to be a conducive surface for seam bowling, the Indian pacers picked up only four out of the ten wickets to fall. While Binny took 3/18, Kapil chipped in with 1/52.

In reply, India could only manage 241 and conceded a crucial 40-run lead. Under pressure to restrict the visitors to a decent total in the second innings, Kapil Dev came into his own as he took 9/83 to rattle the then intimidating West Indies team.

Chasing 242, India were bowled out for 103 and conceded a 2-0 lead. The result was not in favour of the hosts but the splendid spell of Kapil was a performance to cherish.

#2 Against Australia in Bangalore (2008) – 13 wickets (81.25%)

Ishant Sharma bowled brilliantly in the 2008 series against Australia

In 2008, India and Australia played two Test series in the span of 10 months. After losing the controversial series down under 2-1, India were aiming to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

On a good batting track, the Aussies made a good start after winning the toss and batting first. Centuries from skipper Ricky Ponting (123) and Michael Hussey (146) put the visitors in a dominant position. But Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma (sharing 9 wickets) helped India restrict the visitors to 430. The left-armer picked up his maiden Test five-wicket haul on home soil.

India, in their first innings, were in trouble at 232/7 and in danger of conceding a big first innings lead. However, a spirited lower-order batting display helped India reach 360. Zaheer (57*) and Harbhajan Singh (54) not only struck vital fifties but more also batted time.

The fast bowlers bowled well again in the second innings as they restricted the run-flow and picked up four wickets. In particular, Ishant was impressive as he registered figures of 3/46). Australia declared early on the fifth morning to set India a target of 299 from 83 overs.

Sachin Tendulkar (49) and VVS Laxman (42*) played gritty knocks to help India salvage a draw. On a flat pitch, the Indian seamers showed a lot of heart as they picked 13 out of the 16 Aussie wickets to fall.

#1 Against Sri Lanka in Kolkata (2017) – 17 wickets (100%)

Bhuvneshwar and Shami were exceptional, especially in the second innings.

On a grassy Eden Gardens track amidst overcast conditions, Sri Lanka won a crucial toss and opted to bowl first. Suranga Lakmal wreaked havoc in the 11.3 overs that was possible on the first day. The right-armer finished with figures of 6-6-0-3 as India ended day 1 on 17/3.

In tough conditions, India crawled their way to 172. Their three-pronged pace attack comprising of Bhuvneshwar, Shami and Umesh Yadav was expected to deliver for the team. After a lackluster start where they allowed Sri Lanka to reach 200/4, the Indian pacers came back really well to bowl the visitors out for 294.

It was the first time since 1983 that all ten wickets in a home Test innings were taken by India's fast bowlers. Shami and Bhuvneshwar took four wickets each and Umesh picked two. Trailing by 122, the Indian openers (in relatively easier conditions) dominated and helped wipe out the deficit without any loss. After a 166-run opening stand, the hosts lost wickets at regular intervals which pegged them back. But a scintillating century from Kohli ensured that India set a target of 231.

With so much time lost due to rain on the first couple of days, a draw was on the cards and India had given themselves a little more than one session to bowl Sri Lanka out. But there was plenty of action and drama in the final session of the Test as Bhuvneshwar and Shami bowled fiery spells to leave Sri Lanka in tatters at 75/7. However, bad light forced the umpires to call off play and the visitors escaped with a draw.

Bhuvneshwar took 4/8 while Shami and Yadav combined to take 3 wickets. The seamers took all 17 wickets that fell and it was the first instance of India's spinners not picking a single wicket in a home Test.