SHY, INNOCENT SWINGER FROM MEERUT
(Gaurav Joshi)
Fast bowlers are a rare breed, there are suppose to be built tough as nails, have physic like a superhero, aggression like lion attacking its prey, strong backs and behind it all a creative mind.
Some of the great fast bowlers emerge from the back and the beyond. In England the fast men came from mining towns, in Australia they came from the remote outback, in India they were land of Punjab. All these things are suppose to be guidelines to be a fast bowler but in between are the exceptions. They rely more on craftsmanship rather than the traditional brawn and aggression.
One of these exceptions is a skinny lad from a town of Meerut, his name is Bhuveshwar Kumar. From a distance, he looks just like innocent kid who is has never been scolded at and is willing to obey everything anyone tells him. Nothing seems to suggest he is made for the hardship of international cricket. But speaks to his peers and look through the records you realise his importance to the current Indian team. Standing at 5’10, the man know as ‘Bhuvi’ has a lovely rhythmical approach that doesn’t look menacing but with beautiful writs he keeps the seam upright can move the ball in the air like no other cricketer.
As Kumar was progressing through the ranks, it was his name sake, Praveen Kumar that started making headlines in world cricket and was almost termed as regenerating the art of swing bowling once again. But at the same time, he was far too slow at times and batsmen were able to adjust. Bhuvi, on the other hand mind has worked hard on his flexibility to gain that extra yard of pace that has proved vital to his success.
While his rise to the top has been speedy, Kumar has toiled on the domestic circuit for three long years. If you look at the scorecards for his domestic team, Uttar Pradesh, the number of wickets he has taken on the barren wickets is further example of his immense skill. No wonder it only took him one ball to make an impact in international cricket. It was a lethal inswinger that started almost a meter outside off and swung prodigiously to crash into off stump.
Wasim Akram on air at the time said “This guy is going to be a star”. Generating pace of nearly 135Km/h, Akram was elated to see how easily he could bowl an outswinger to an inswinger with such a subtle change of wrist position. All of a sudden, India had found a bowler capable of causing havoc with the new ball through sheer art rather than brawn. It is a delightful to watch such a guiltless bowler with supreme skill rattles some of the great batsmen of world cricket.
So shy is the young man that during the IPL his Australian team mate, Aaron Finch had he was the nicest guy in the world but a very cunning mind for cricket. Hailing from a town such as Meerut, five star hotels, million dollar contracts, constant attention from fans make him uncomfortable at times, but with a competitive mind he barely takes a backward step on and off the field, all offcourse in almost a babyish naive like way.
In England, at a press conference he was asked a question in his native Hindi, understanding the audience, he replied in polite manner in perfect English. So humble was the young man after receiving man of the match awards, presentation host, Harsha Bhogle told him to smile.
On the current tour of England, he was always going to be threat with the ball but he has a taken his game to a new level with the bat. On training days, he worked constantly on his batting and scored two fifities, followed by a 36 on pitch that was as green as a wimbeldon court. He already has a five wicket haul in his first bowling outing on a pitch that was as horribly for any bowlers. Couple of test matches into the England series Harsha Bhogle has already termed him as the find of the tour.
It is hard to believe but the swinger from Meerut, has become a vital cog in the Indian team. His remarkable skills just proves it is simply not brawn, aggression, strong body that makes a quality fast bowler. There are other facets and if you want to know them all, then just watch, observe and admire a charming young man that is making enormous strides in international cricket.
