England and India will clash with each other in a five-Test series starting August 1. The rivalry between the two nations is as old as it can get. India played its inaugural Test match against England in 1932 and won its first overseas Test series against England in 1971.
The most recent series between the two nations in England was played in 2014 and India lost the series 1-3. However, during that series too, Indian fast bowlers impressed everyone, especially Bhuvneshwar and Ishant Sharma, who both combined to blow England away at Lord’s, picking up 6 and 7 wickets in an innings respectively.
This time too, despite a dry English summer, fast bowlers on both sides will make a difference to which team has the advantage. India will also depend on its fast bowlers who will provide the edge to the Indian team which is known for its spinners.
With the squad yet to be named for the Test series, COC looks at five fast bowlers who have the potential to trouble the English batsmen enough to get them rattled and set up the game for India.
Check the five best fast bowlers to challenge the England batting during the Test series
UMESH YADAV
Umesh Yadav is most likely to force his way through the Test squad and even make it into the playing XI solely because he is the only true fast bowler India has. Plus he has the stamina to go on and on and bowl long spells for India, something that might be needed on dry pitches in England this time.
Umesh Yadav is yet to play a Test match in England, but in 6 Tests against England at home, he has picked 12 wickets. Yadav is known to swing the ball both ways and also has the tendency to get the ball to reverse, something that will help India a lot in England. Also, he is probably the fittest bowler in the Indian team at the moment.
JASPRIT BUMRAH
The way Jasprit Bumrah bowled in South Africa was amazing enough for fans and selectors both to assume that he will be the trump card for Team India in England. 14 wickets in 3 Test matches was an amazing beginning for Bumrah and in England too, his style of bowling will be of an advantage to the team.
Especially when the England batsmen are used to playing medium pace Indian bowling, Bumrah’s genuine pace will be a breath of fresh air in comparison to that and on top of that, his quirky bowling action will also mean that the England batting will have trouble playing him for the first time at home.
ISHANT SHARMA
With 238 wickets in 82 Tests, Ishant Sharma is now the veteran of the Indian team at the age of 29 years. He was the main instigator for the Indian win at Lord’s in 2014 as his 7/74 in the second innings set things up for the fantastic win.
Sharma has picked up 38 wickets in 12 matches against England and his experience in England is of 7 Tests which have yielded 25 wickets. With his unending stamina and ability to extract pace and bounce out of the deadest of pitches, Ishant will be the spearhead of the Indian pace attack in England.
MOHAMMED SHAMI
Mohammed Shami has 15 wickets in 6 Tests against England and his first tour to England in 2014 yielded 5 wickets in Tests. Shami can swing the ball and reverse it, which can come in handy in English conditions. Shami also scored his maiden Test fifty in England last time and his batting skills will also be nice to stretch the biggest of scores.
BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the best Indian bowler by far on India’s last tour to England and even picked up a six-wicket haul in his debut match at Lord’s. He also scored three half-centuries with the bat and keeping this in mind, he will be the best bet for India in the upcoming five-match series as well.
He picked 19 wickets in 5 matches on the last tour and with condition remaining more or less the same; Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be the main bowler to take on the England batting. He has experience of the English conditions and knows how to exploit the same to good effect.
