I will come back with my thoughts on the epochal-in-many-ways Mohali Test between India and Australia. In the meantime, a friend asked me to lay out my thoughts regarding Ishant and Srinath - how similar or different are they and the like. I am reproducing below my thoughts on that subject:
Statistically speaking - I have no clue how those two compare although I would say these are still early days for Ishant in order to compare with somebody like Srinath who had represented his national team for many many seasons!
But bowling wise - I think they are different bowlers although they have similar looking actions. I think Srinath used mainly his runup and action at the crease for his pace. However, he never really did use his follow through effectively. You could see it in the way how he would immediately come up after delivering the ball. On the other hand, Ishant has a rather measured run in to the stumps, a balanced action but a wonderful follow through. Sometimes he even overdoes it - resulting in his frequent spills after delivery.
I am not an expert in terms of injury management but I think this could cause some issues to Ishant if not properly managed.
Bowling wise - Srinath, when he first burst onto the scene was a faster bowler than Ishant, I think. And he pretty much stayed around the 140s till the time he retired. Ishant is plenty fast. But other than speed, he has also picked up knacks. He is a far more rounded paceman than Srinath was - even 5 years into his international career. It is also a sign of the times though - in terms of the technology and input available to cricketers and support staff. In Srinath's days, he did not even get decent access to physios to help tone up his body for its rigours.
Ishant can actually roll his fingers across the seam to take the ball away from the right hander. This is something that Srinath picked up quite towards the end of his career. This is what makes a tall open chested right hander all the more dangerous. It is undeniably a large part of Harmison's strength, for example. And then, Srinath, right through his career was very apprehensive about bowling the slower ball. That was mainly because Srinath tended to have a very tight grip on the ball and nestled the ball well into his palm. Something which is reflected in his consistently short of length bowling. Ishant on the other hand is rather more easy going with his grip and so can easily resort to rolling his fingers over and getting the slower ball right. Then again, the frequency of limited overs cricket is a lot more now and a slower ball is not a nice thing to have. It is mandatory!
I personally feel, that if Ishant is injury free, he can go on to become a lot better than Srinath. In fact, he could challenge Kapil Dev's record in time. He has the age and he has the skill. What is certainly not lacking is patience and determination. Even though he is just 19 years of age, his maturity is very impressive. It is very rare that he bangs the ball in after a batsman hits him for a boundary. For a bowler of his pace, that is actually a nice characteristic! And when he bowls the short ball, it is really a surprise - exactly what the batsman does not like. And his natural angle means that batsmen who are swaying away are actually in the way (pun intended). But then, the batsman is not spoilt for choices here. If he does indeed choose the option of ducking down, he has to make that decision a split second earlier and has to take his eyes off the ball. All in all, Ishant has got several things going for him. Not the least of which are fellow fast bowlers who are effective as also the opportunity to play on moderately bouncy wickets even in India!
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Morne Morkel is replaced with Dale Steyn. And his first ball is delicately sliced all along the ground between point and 3rd man for yet another boundary. Brilliant batting sustained. To bat brilliantly is one thing. But to sustain it for such long periods is simply a mark of a complete package of supreme skill, tenacious temperament, voracious desire and ocean-deep concentration.
Go, Sehwag, go!
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Sehwag in the 290s dances down again to hapless Harris and launches the ball into orbit. That is a towering six which takes him to 297. He gets beaten attempting a cut the next ball - too close for comfort and then takes a single very intelligently. He is now on 298 and has the strike the next over.
Get ready Gentlemen and Ladies to congratulate this mammoth innings from a batsman at the peak of his powers!
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Sehwag's favourite whipping boy Ntini is brought on. Greame Smith does seem to have it in against Ntini
Sehwag slams a straight drive which looks to be going to the boundary but the mid on and mid off are straighter and that is restricted to a mere single. 299.
Dravid gets a wide one which he misses. But Boucher cannot collect cleanly and a bye is scampered through. Remember that we are talking about a batsman on 299.
Sehwag on strike - a fulltoss on his pads and is helped thorugh for another single.
There, ladies and gentlmen is the fastest 300 in the history of the game and the best knock that Chennai has seen.
And folks - there is a dearth of adjectives now to describe this effort from Virender Sehwag. Monumental, let me say and leave it at that.
Sehwag's seemingly Alexandrian reserves of concentration keeps his simply marching on. The hapless Harris drops one short and looks on with disgust as Sehwag pulls the ball between mid on and mid wicket for another powerful boundary.
Off the next ball, Harris almost showed that he was not all that hapless. He bowled that ball much quicker and slightly fuller. Sehwag tried to create room but was beaten for pace. One of the very few occasions that has happened in this match. In fact the only one that I have witnessed as far as Sehwag is concerned.
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Surprise, surprise, Kallis gets another over. Smith has matured, it seems. In his younger days (he is still very young), the SA captain was often seen venting his anger out at the ground.
And there was a moment in this over. Sehwag guides a ball straight to point and refuses the call for a single from Dravid. But Dravid who already had a start found it tough getting back into the crease. The ever alert De Villiers, despite Kallis' frustration, attempted to throw the wicket down at the non strikers end. If he had hit, it would have been curtains for Dravid. But he missed and so did the mid on fielder Styen who was backing up. Four overthrows. SA disintegrating here.
So, Sehwag is on 244 off 221 balls. Staggering. If he gets to his triple century, it possibly could be the fastest triple. But then, I am becoming a victim of that mirage thing, I guess. There is still a long way to go.
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Sehwag is nearing 250 and everybody is preparing for another boundary - four or a six. Sehwag does not fail in his self-assigned duties. He reverse sweeps the hapless Harris once more for a boundary. But then he takes a single to get off strike. Dravid does the crowd a favour by taking a single off the next ball. And the crowd reaches another crescendo. Will they be appeased?
Sehwag gets into his stance - and eases it gently into the vacant area at mid wicket for a single. The crowd, it seems, will take it! There is applause all around. And Sehwag raises his bat and claps his hands to appreciate the support that this Chennai crowd has given him
Not just Sehwag - I, too am proud of you, Chennai. Way to go!!!
And Sehwag - you beauty, you have not yet broken a sweat, while the South Africans are wet and wringing. Go for it! Sky is the limit.
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