Indian pace bowling attack is one of the best pace bowling line-ups in the present international cricket. Former English cricketer Nick Compton believes that the former Indian coach Duncan Fletcher deserves to get credit for this present top-class Indian pace bowling line-up.
Former Zimbabwean captain Duncan Fletcher had served as a head coach of Indian cricket team from 2011 to 2015. Compton claims it takes time to build up a good pace bowling attack and the present Indian pace bowling attack is the result of Fletcher’s beginning process.
The former English top-order batsman Compton said on this, “India’s pace attack hasn’t come together all of a sudden. It has taken time and it has happened one by one, as all of these bowlers took their time coming of age. India didn’t have so many pacers at once earlier, but now they do. And all (most) of them, at some point have played under Fletcher, so it is a credit to him. This process (of building a pace attack) started long ago and it has come together for India now.”
Compton also credited Fletcher to guide the English pacers like James Anderson and Stuart Broad in their initial stages, who are one of the best pace bowling partners in international cricket history.
Compton feels the pace is the major difference in India’s present pace bowling success.
Compton said on that, “The difference from the past is that these bowlers do not compromise on pace. Like James Anderson and Stuart Broad, they retain the ability to move the ball at pace.
“Pace. That’s the keyword. You have to consider why the likes of Anderson and Stuart Broad have been so successful in their careers. They have a thousand wickets between them in Test cricket because they move the ball at pace. And it is no coincidence that both of them started their England careers under Duncan Fletcher.”
After losing the first two Tests of the ongoing five-match Test series in this England tour, India clinched an impressive 203-run victory in the third Test at Trent Bridge (Nottingham). While Indian skipper Virat Kohli hardly stays with the same playing XI, especially in Test cricket, Compton believes Kohli should carry on the same playing XI for the fourth Test at Rose Bowl (Southampton), starting from Thursday (August 30).
Compton said, “Now that Pujara and Rahane have scored runs, things will get easier for them. India won in Nottingham and hit upon a good team balance. There is no further reason for a change. It will be interesting to see if Virat (Kohli) make any changes (for the fourth Test).”
Compton feels Kohli’s too many changes in the playing XI affected Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane’s batting form.
The former English cricketer said, “But in terms of selection, Virat makes too many changes. For example, it was a baffling decision to leave Pujara out of the first Test and it showed poor insight from the team management to allow that decision.
“When Virat makes so many changes as captain, it cannot always be easy for other players, like Pujara or Rahane for that matter. They do not have alpha-male personalities and such players can sometimes struggle to cope with extreme methods.”
Despite losing the last Test in a very big margin, England is still leading the Test series by 2-1 and Compton believes that England is still the favourite in the ongoing five-match Test series.
Compton quoted, “I don’t think England are out of this series just yet and winning three Tests on the bounce here is very tough for any visiting side. There will be some good, competitive cricket in the remaining matches, but I do not see India winning the series.”
Compton believes that the English Test skipper Joe Root should bat at number four and need to improve his batting skills to face the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
He said, “The top order is a mess because they haven’t got their batting order right. Joe Root isn’t a number three batsman, and he isn’t batting at his best position. He should be batting at number four and controlling the innings. He didn’t handle Jasprit Bumrah very well.
“Bumrah bowls at pace and moves the ball into batsmen, working that angle. I think someone like Root should be able to work it out better on his off stump. But the fact that Bumrah is still able to cause problems to Root says a lot about his quality.”
“At times, I think he (Root) should be left alone to be England’s best batsman because he certainly is. However, it isn’t like England have another option at the moment. They certainly do need to rethink their batting order, especially if they continue to not get good starts.”
