The Indian Express - India's search for a tearaway fast bowler

Amit Bhandari

Amit Bhandari

After an unsavoury debut in the 2000 Asia Cup against Pakistan, Amit Bhandari got a second chance in the 2004 tri-series involving India, Australia and Zimbabwe. With Agarkar and Irfan Pathan being the in-form bowlers, Bhandari got few opportunities to shine and he managed to get the speed guns going by touching 145 kmph. This was mighty surprising as on the domestic circuit he had hardly ever crossed 135 kmph. His performances were rewarded with a place in the squad for the Pakistan tour where he did not get a chance to play a game and soon faded into oblivion.

Lakshmipathy Balaji

Lakshmipathy Balaji

On the same tour, another Indian fast bowler was undergoing a metamorphosis. It may be surprising but at the time of his debut in 2002 Lakshmipathy Balaji, along with NC Aiyappa, was considered amongst the fastest bowlers in South India. While the maximum the latter could do was to win a fast bowling contest, Balaji went on to play for India and get butchered by Chris Gayle for three extremely expensive overs. He returned a changed man a year later and his high came on the Pakistan tour of 2004 where, apart from tonking Shoaib Akhtar for a six over his head, he also managed to run up speeds of 143 kmph. Although nobody can trust the veracity of a birth certificate or a speed gun in Pakistan (in the same series, Mohammed Sami was found to have clocked 98 mph), Balaji is deceptive and has touched 140 kmph even in the IPL when no one has expected him to.

This period was followed by a brief lull in Indian cricket as it struggled to adjust to life with Greg Chappell in command and post Sourav Ganguly as captain. Chappell’s directive was simple – the workmanlike fast bowlers teeming the domestic circuits could continue to bowl their hearts out there; he wanted real fast bowlers.