By: Tarish Bhatt
Playing with five frontline bowlers and six batsmen has been India’s team combination for a while now. The Indian management has been backing specialists, instead of adding quick-fixes in the team.
This theory is paying dividends as the Indian team is getting results. In the 1st Test against West Indies, India went with five specialist bowlers, including three outright pacers, and six batsmen.
Instead of adding someone like Stuart Binny, Indian captain Virat Kohli decided to field his genuine quicks – Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav. The chemistry between the pacers was quite evident in the match.
Both Shami and Yadav finished with four wickets each in the first innings. They were quick, nippy and most importantly consistent. Even Ishant, who went wicketless in the first innings, was on the money.
“We always give that kind of confidence to each other, always we are pushing (each other),” Yadav said. “Whenever things are a little difficult, we need to push our friend or team-mate a little bit, and lift them.”
“Main thing is, you push each other and complement each other, and recognise that, ‘yeah, it’s not my day today (to take wickets), it’s your day’,” he added.
The Indian team managed to impose the follow-on over West Indies. In the second innings, too, Indian pacers had the same sting in them. They built pressure from both ends, and were eventually rewarded.
West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite was trapped in front by Ishant with his deadly in-swinger. The Indian pacers just conceded 13 runs in their 11 overs bowled on the third day in the second innings.
