Team India are gearing up for the upcoming five-match Test series in England. Under Shubman Gill’s leadership, a new era is set to begin. The last time they played a Test series in England, India were leading 2-1 in 2021 till a COVID-19 interruption.
Along with head coach Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun as the bowling coach was an integral part of the set-up. Ahead of this tour, he had a chat with RevSportz’s editor-in-chief, Boria Majumdar, to discuss what India’s bowlers did well on that tour, Shubman Gill as captain, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and a lot more.
Boria: Your first thoughts, what did you all do for that 2021 tour that helped India do so well?
Bharat: It’s great to be on the show as usual. See, our 2018 tour of England was a huge lesson for us. The scoreline says 4-1 on the 2018 trip. But actually, we got close to winning at least three Test matches after winning one. But it did not happen. So, what are the lengths that need to be bowled in England? It’s not just one length. But also, what is the length you need to bowl when the ball is moving? Sometimes, the ball does not move. Sometimes, the ball moves quite efficiently.
So, during these times, what are the lengths? How quickly you understand the situation and adapt to the situation. 2018 tour was a very big lesson. It was just about revisiting those experiences and bringing what we need to do to the core. That was the reason for our success in 2021.
Boria: This time around, how do you look at this side, Bharat, especially from the bowling standpoint? Also, can Kuldeep Yadav be effective in England?
Bharat: Wrist spinners have always been effective, especially in England. Maybe even initially, when there is a little bit of dampness in the wicket, there is help for those wrist spinners. And also, the roughs that the bowlers create. But again, using the rough is a separate art.
It’s not just bowling. I think somebody who instantly comes to our mind is Shane Warne. I think Kuldeep has got enough skills to be successful in England. And also, if you look at this bowling attack, yes, it is relatively inexperienced, but it’s got huge potential.
You don’t need to talk about Bumrah. Mohamed Siraj can move the ball. He is sharp. If he understands his strengths, like what he did in England, I thought he bowled magnificent spells. Even then, it needed a little bit of tweaking for his understanding.
Boria: What did he (Siraj) do?
Bharat: Especially when bowling to left-handers, he had an actual angle which was leaving them. But he tried to cut out that angle by going round the wicket to them. And your effectiveness comes down, especially when there is a slight movement off the wicket. And especially at Lord’s, where there is a slope.
And if you’re using it when you’re bowling from the Pavilion End, and if you’re going to be bowling round the wicket, you don’t get the advantage of the slope. So, just at tea time, I remember asking him to go over the wicket and bowl. The line should be the leg of the left-hander. So, natural angle that leaves him, it will be leaving him on off stump.
So, he did that. So, Siraj is very, very capable. I was particularly impressed with Arshdeep [Singh] during the IPL. He could move the white ball both ways. And I think in England, the ball… Probably the Dukes is the most bowler-friendly ball in world cricket. In terms of seam, in terms of the shine, the conditions in England are so conducive.
So, I think any bowler with reasonable amount of skill, England is the place to be in, to be bowling.
Boria: So, if you were part of the system, is it going to be Bumrah, Siraj and Arshdeep to start alongside Kuldeep for the Leeds Test? Or will it also be on form and conditions? Shardul Thakur might come in at number 8.
Bharat: Siraj and Bumrah is a no-brainer. The other two bowlers would be the toss-up between… I would definitely go for Arshdeep because being a left-hander, and not many people even get to practice against left-handers, even in the nets. So, it’s not always easy.
Especially if there is a skillful left-hander, he becomes all the more potent. Between Nitish Reddy and Shardul Thakur, that will be a choice. They are pretty good. They are very handy. Nitish can also bowl 130-plus. Shardul also does the same.
Shardul also is quite handy with the bat. So, it will be a toss-up between who is bowling the best at that point of time. Bowling and batting. They come in as an all-rounder. Because I think, to win Test matches abroad, you need five bowlers.
Boria: But will you play Kuldeep Yadav?
Bharat: Yes, I would play Kuldeep Yadav. Even if not in the first innings, second innings, he would be a handful to deal with.
Boria: How would you have handled Jasprit Bumrah in these circumstances using workload management?
Bharat: See, it is such that too much bowling and too little bowling, both cause injuries. They are a perfect recipe for some bowler to get injured. So, obviously, we cannot control the number of overs that Jasprit Bumrah bowls in a match.
But according to the number of overs he bowls in the match, the practice sessions can be toned down for him where he needs to be working on his recovery. It can be a strength training session in the gym or some recovery work with the physios.
So, handling him will be very crucial. And as you rightly mentioned, Bumrah’s presence in the team adds a huge value. Not only he does well, he rallies the other bowlers.
The confidence which they ride in with Jasprit Bumrah being in the side would definitely add a lot of value to this team. So, ideally, I would expect him to play all the Test matches. If there is very good support from the other bowlers, Bumrah can be preserved and play in all the five Test matches.
If he is going to be bowling, taking a lot of the workload, then I am afraid he will not be ready for all the five Tests. So, how the other bowlers support him becomes very vital. So, we’ve got to take it as you go, rather than saying he is good for first three Test matches, then you need to give him a break.
The other bowlers can help Bumrah play in all the Test matches if they are bowling really well.
Boria: Tell me about Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant as captain, vice-captain. You think they are ready for the job now?
Bharat: I think so, yes. Shubman Gill, to me, looks very calm and composed. Even when he was a youngster, he looked the part. And I thought he has captained quite impressively in the IPL. Not only marshalling the resources, using them judiciously was very key to it.
Also, when you look at him in the match, when you look at his body language, he didn’t seem to be highly perturbed when there was a crunch situation. He seemed, at least on the surface of it, he seemed cool. So, I think these are the traits of a very good captain.
As far as Rishabh is concerned, his style is different. But also, him staying behind the stumps, even in situations where the bowlers were taken for runs, he seemed pretty cool to me. I think, to Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni is one of his biggest idols.
And he spent a lot of time with MS. So, I think that experience and that calmness and the coolness which MS Dhoni is known for during matches, Rishabh Pant, even if he imbibes some of those qualities, he will go on to be a good skipper.
🚨 #BharatArun Exclusive
“To win test matches abroad you need 5-bowlers. I would pick Kuldeep Yadav” — former India bowling coach, Bharat Arun gives his picks for India’s bowling attack for the Leeds Test.
Bumrah, Siraj, Dukes Ball, workload management! Recalling the 2021… pic.twitter.com/8aQnkgmCAi
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Boria: India come into this series as the underdog, you know, based on what happened in Australia or at home. How does Bharat Arun see the series? Do you give India a chance? how do you see the series unfolding?
Bharat: I would look at any challenge as an opportunity because for a very good cricketer, any sportsman, a challenging situation, if you’re calm in the mind, gets the best out of people. So, this is an opportunity to test. Potential wise, we have great potential.
And even England are in the process of rebuilding. So, it would be like you rightly pointed out. First, how do we start this Test? Our batting especially.
Bowling, I feel with a little bit of shrewdness, these bowlers are capable of doing well. The experience counts. But India’s batting would be the key to us doing well.
Boria: Will India miss Mohammad Shami?
Bharat: Well, Shami is somebody I would love to have in the side. But what really counts is how fit is Shami. A fit Shami is a big asset. But it’s not easy. The state that Shami is in, the fitness levels that he has today, whether he would be justifying his potential.