India's lethal weapon

By G. Viswanath

JOHANNESBURG, SEPT. 30. There has always been an explosive quality to Javagal Srinath's bowling. He is all fired up and ready to erupt any time. One instance of his lightning spell was at the Motera ground against South Africa in November 1996. It was a master stroke initiated by the then captain, Sachin Tendulkar, dragging Srinath from the deep, a move which in a short course of time unfolded into a match-winning 6-21 by the fast bowler.

Tendulkar did not deem the other bowlers in the team-Venkatesh Prasad, Anil Kumble, Sunil Joshi and Narendra Hirwani-as misfits; he simply believed that his No. 1 strike bowler had the capacity to deliver. It was a fabulous display by Srinath on a breaking surface that South African skipper Hansie Cronje and coach Bob Woolmer despaired, saying: ``It (the pitch) was not a good advertisement for cricket.''

Injuries to the shoulder of his bowling hand, shin and lack of general fitness has considerably diminished Srinath's strike rate. However, whenever he has returned to the national team after a break, short or long, he has always attempted to give his best shot, and on most occasions succeeded too.

Recent proofs of his exemplary spells have been in the second innings of the first Test against Zimbabwe at the Ferozshah Kotla and in the second innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. Srinath looks as the opposite of a not-so-like bowler, Prasad, with whom he has `hunted in pair'.

Both Srinath and Prasad have had their moments against the South Africans, especially during Indian team's tour of that nation almost 60 months ago. Even if India was beaten by a handsome margin of 328 runs at Kingsmead and by an impressive 282 runs at Newlands, what cannot be forgotten is the remarkable and fascinating bowling by the two Indian new ball bowlers, Prasad receiving the major share of accolade because he took 10 wickets in the first Test. Srinath took exactly half that number of wickets, but what emerged as a fine achievement was the 15 wickets they together captured, getting almost no support from the back up seamers.

Prompted to recall their spells at the Kingsmead five years ago, Srinath, wrapped in a relaxed mood at the Sandton Sun International Towers, said: ``We were actually thinking about that Test match. Prasad was reminding me about it. It's an experience and now we get a feeling that we have done that before, taking together 15 wickets out 20 in a Test match.

Definitely, if the body permits there is no reason why a performance like that cannot be repeated. Or performing close to that one at Kingsmead. Prasad, in fact made this point, and I think it's very valid.''

Prasad added his own version of how he had ended up with a 10- wicket haul. ``I never expected I will be doing so well at Kingsmead. But the fact is that I was bowling well during that entire season or year, the whole of 1996, starting with the series in England and the home series against South Africa, in the Calcutta Test in particular. I came here without knowing anything about this country. I was told that the pitches would be fast and bouncy. Knowing Srinath quite well and being with him I got to know a few things. He had been here before, so he could transfer useful tips to me. The Durban Test match was good for me personally, but as a team, we did not do too well.''

``It (five wickets in each innings) just happened. I bowled to a regulated line and length. The wickets kept coming. I did not really go for the fifth in the first innings or tenth in the second innings. What we missed was a third bowler, a good back up seamer. Even if he had managed to keep the batsmen under pressure, that would have still made a lot of difference. That's been, as Srinath said, the key or central issue on many occasions.''

The South African skipper, Cronje, had highlighted the point Srinath and Prasad, made. ``I think the Test match would have been much closer had they (Srinath and Prasad) had two more quality back up seamers.''

To support Srinath and Prasad were the Karnataka bowlers, David Johnson and Doda Ganesh, Mumbai's Abey Kuruvilla (who replaced Johnson subsequently for the West Indies tour) being called to Kanpur for trials and dumped by the way side. The Indians were clue less on a spiteful Kingsmead pitch and shot out for 100 and 66.

Srinath took 18 wickets in that series and Prasad 17. Kumble had six and Johnson two. In the first `Friendship Tour' of South Africa in 1992, the combination of Kapil Dev, Manoj Prabhakar and Srinath took 29 wickets of the 54. In '96-'97, the fast bowlers and seamers took 37 out of the 43.

Srinath and Prasad, who together have played 88 Tests and 351 one-day Internationals, are willing to back themselves again. Only time will tell whether Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra will join them for the Test match campaign, but Srinath is very optimistic.

Three short of 200 wickets in Test cricket (he has played 55 so far for his 197) Srinath said: ``I think with good back up seamers India would have forced results. It's not that we would have taken more wickets. Instead the team would have benefited. Somehow we have never had support of a third fast bowler right throughout. Though we did the initial damage we were not able to do the rest (five years ago in South Africa). We did not have that couple of bowlers to get the lower middle order and last three wickets. That's the reason we missed out on so many chances.''

``We missed a third good bowler in the Johannesburg Test match in 1996-97 and also in Cape Town when Prasad could not bowl. I ended up giving 28 in one over. It was not good for any fast bowler. We definitely missed a third fast bowler in Australia and to some extent also in England in 1996. This is how a fast bowling department builds in a team. Australia and South Africa always have a fast bowling squad to pick from. A third and fourth fast bowler make a big difference in forcing a victory,'' said Srinath.

About playing the Test series after the one-day series Srinath said: ``The batsmen and the bowlers will get used to the wickets. The thing is we are going to play the tri-series all over South Africa and we will be able get a feel of the wickets every where. If you stay fit and bowl to a good line and length then any fast bowler should have a decent series here. It's been not the hardest, but most methodical way of training and practicing in the last five days at `The Wanderers' and here at `The Centurion'. Everything was very well planned-right from batting and bowling to fielding and the fitness programme. It's the best thing that has happened to Indian cricket team, arriving here a week before.''

Srinath's third visit

Srinath is on his third visit to South Africa with the Indian team. There have been other times he has come here to meet Dr. Mark Ferguson, following a rotator cuff problem in March 1997. He was preserved right through the tour five years ago, so was Prasad. He sees a specific role for himself, but is terribly upset over allegations by certain people that he has been `picking and choosing tours.'

``It's absurd to say that I'm picking and choosing matches. I have not played only because I have had injuries, which was probably misread by some people. Nobody can do this. I have played in all the tough tours including the Test series against Australia at home. By not playing, I am losing cricket wise and financially too. Hence it is stupid to say that I am picking and choosing. Nobody has done it in the world and nobody will do it.''

Srinath is looking forward to another successful tour of South Africa. He (like Kumble) has taken 51 wickets against the South Africans. Prasad is four short of his 100 wickets in Test cricket and seven short of 200 in one-day Internationals.

The deeds of Srinath and Prasad have been a splendid indeed. Srinath was known for his pace and Prasad for his ability to bowl deadly leg cutters. Both are 32, not the age in which many fast bowlers have succeeded in rocking the boat of top notch teams. Srinath (197 wickets in Tests and 261 in ODIs) and Prasad (96 wickets in Tests and 193 in ODIs) have promised to make an attempt as they did at the notorious Kingsmead.

``It's good to be reminded of the 35 wickets we took in 1996-97, but that's part of history. What's important is what we are going to do in this series. It's good to think about the past, the rare moments of joy. The real joy would be doing something in this series.''

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