India’s success in Test cricket has always been associated with its batting prowess and its unique spin-bowling core, several generations of which have helped build India as a Test fortress.
But in the past half a decade or so, a breed of fast bowlers have changed the script. India has since became a pace-bowling superpower, highlighted by Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammad Siraj at the centre of it all and well supported by other stalwarts like Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and more.
How did India get so good at fast bowling? What does the data say?
The Hindu spoke to Bharath Arun, the former India bowling coach who was in instrumental in getting the likes of Shami, Siraj and Bumrah to find their peak. Arun gives insights into the importance of seam position, consistency, the science of inswing/outswing/reverse swing, and more.
The Hindu also spoke to Shanker Basu, who was a key figure in ensuring the fast bowlers keep fit while he was the head trainer of the Indian team.
Reporting: Srinivasan Ramani, Dipak Ragav
Videography: Johan Sathyadas, Shiva Raj, Thamodharan B.
Production: Johan Sathyadas, Shiva Raj
3D animation: Archit Ramesh
2D animation: Soumyadip Sinha
Graphics: Kannan Sundar
Fast bowler data: Hayagrive Srikanth, Cricket21
Voiceover: Kunal Shankar
