India is a unique nation in so many ways. Right from the polity to politics, from geography to the rich history, the nation never ceases to amaze. This enigmatic characteristic is so much part of the cricketing culture too, as many believe that the sport is just an extension of the country.
For a nation which is so into creating legends and revering them, the masses seem to assign a special place for the batsmen and to some extent the spinners. Historically, Indian cricket has produced these players in abundance and they have gone on to become match winners on many occasions. However, there is a sense of excitement whenever a quick bowler surfaces and then goes on to capture imaginations of the public.
Thus even as a Sunil Gavaskar produced so many innings of grit and substance against the West Indies, a certain Kapil Dev always warmed hearts with his lion-heart and never say die attitude. When he ran into bowl, arched back and delivered a swinging ball, there was a collective breath of anticipation.
The baton passed, and Sachin Tendulkar assumed the mantle. Similarly, Javagal Srinath and then later Zaheer Khan bounced in and made their way into the people's hearts. India is a peculiar nation in a variety of ways, we revere our batsmen, expect our spinners to churn out match-winning performances every time they get their hands on the ball and yet sit up with excitement and anticipation whenever a fast bowler gallops in!
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Virat Kohli is the batman of the modern day cricket, he has all the tricks up his sleeve, and despite the fact that he has the service of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, he is looking a complete captain is all due to the fact that a certain Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav have ran in whenever the team has needed them and produced decisive spells. For a nation which has always yearned for tearaway quicks, Shami and Umesh are not only proving to be the soothing balm but have also progressed into becoming critical lynchpins in the team. Told you, India is unique, so much so that even the cricket is unique!
For when Shami presented the perfect seam and when the ball landed on it and moved just a fraction to breach the defence of Alastair Cook, he not only demolished the top of off stump but realised the secret fantasy of so many fans, so many bowlers, so many Indians. It was not just a top delivery, but an emotion which was let out after ages. The celebrations could have been over the top, for an Indian 'fast bowler' got through the defence of one of the best Test batsman in the world today, but the players and the fans knew that such dismissals will keep coming.
There was a definite spring in the step, and the belief emanated. Shami was India's strike bowler, he was striking when it mattered the most, he was making a statement, a statement which was so unique!
WATCH: SHAMI DEMOLISHES THE OFF STUMP OF ALASTAIR COOK
Fast forward to the third Test match in Mohali. England were languishing but they believed that their late order would bail them out as they have so often done in the past. Chris Woakes looked fairly settled against the spinner. Kohli took the new ball, tossed it to Shami, and unleashed him. The fast bowler ran in, banged the ball in short and pinged Woakes the helmet. The protection on the back went flying, there were words of concern from the Indian players. Shami too was quick to check on Woakes, who looked rattled. Shami sauntered back to his run-up, composed himself, charged in and banged another well-directed bouncer and Woakes could not get out of way and decided to fend it off, the ball kissed the glove, ballooned up in the air and was taken with ease in the slips.
An Indian bowler bouncing an English batsman, a situation so unique!
“Shami is stronger because he had to train an extra bit. It was a knee injury. He trained really hard and is rushing in quite a bit more. He is bowling long spells and is more aware of what he has to do to be a good Test bowler. In these kinds of pitches, he and Umesh [Yadav] haven’t lost heart and bowled consistently around 145 kph and bounced out batsmen. I am waiting to play on pitches that assist him more,” Virat Kohli sounded upbeat after the win. India was pumped up, this energy was quite unique!
And then there is the raw pace of Umesh Yadav at the other end who compliments Shami so well. He can crank up the pace and keeps trying all day, and few can deny that he has improved massively under Kohli and Kumble. The one four ball which Umesh was notorious for has slowly gone away and now he is always at the batsmen.
The duo has proved that they do not merely make up the numbers, and if only the slip catching could have been up to Test standards, they could have well have been at par with the spinners. Umesh has only five wickets this series, but four catches were dropped off his bowling on a flat Rajkot pitch. He has troubled Jonny Bairstow with his late reverse swing and has posed so many questions with the new ball.
Virat Kohli is a different captain, and even if he responds to shots by moving the fields quite often, he is never shy to use his pacers to intimidate the opposition and this approach has already yielded dividends. Dhoni was a spinner's skipper, Kohli loves to use his seamers more often and when the fast bowlers are responding like the way they have been, there is no reason why he should not continue using the 'unique' tactics.
And bear in mind, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur are waiting in the wings. The pace battery certainly packs a punch!
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