Shamik Chakrabarty at Eden Gardens
Last month in Rawalpindi, Simon Harmer bowled a dream delivery to get the better of Imam-ul-Haq. From around the wicket, he pitched the ball outside leg, and it turned sharply to knock back the off stump.
Given that India have a far better batting line-up than Pakistan, the South African off-spinner would take his 4/30 at Eden Gardens on Saturday as a badge of honour. Harmer has been a revelation of late. He made his Test debut in 2015 before changing track and joining county cricket. The 36-year-old has returned to international fold as a bowler reborn.
A cricket coach in Mumbai has played a role in Harmer’s revival. Umesh Patwal is a journeyman who has coached in Nepal and Afghanistan. And he works with players from around the world in an individual capacity. Harmer was one of them. “I wasn’t good enough (for international cricket) and I came back to India in 2016 to work with Umesh Patwal in Mumbai, and I think I discovered a lot about spin bowling that I didn’t know,” Harmer said at the post-day press conference. “That was probably the point in my career that gave me ammunition to get better and develop, and become a decent spinner.”
A burning desire to prove himself at the highest level was always there. Harmer is a little late to make his mark in international cricket, but better late than never. “I have always had the desire to compete on the highest stage and level which is international cricket,” he said. “And I have always wanted to come back to India after the experience in 2015.”
As regards the Eden Gardens pitch, which has accounted for 26 wickets over two days in 152.2 overs, Harmer opined: “The ball is turning inconsistently, so yeah it’s just having that belief and positivity of trying to be positive on a wicket that probably doesn’t allow you to.” He added: “I think from memory, the wickets in 2015 were probably worse.”
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