Bharath Ramaraj in Dubai
Extra bounce from a slightly fuller length can always be disconcerting for batters. The likes of Glenn McGrath, Curtly Ambrose, numerous South African speedsters, and a couple of present-day Australian seamers have employed it to great effect. While facing bowlers of that type, the batter could be caught in the crease, with the ball hitting higher up on the splice.
McGrath himself once told Sportstar: “Sachin [Tendulkar] and [Brian] Lara always said it was tougher to face someone who bowled in the mid-130 kmph and got the ball to bounce off a length than a bowler who clocked 150 kmph and skidded it on.”
Now, Shivam Dube will never be compared with the likes of Ambrose and McGrath. The all-rounder is nowhere in the class of those seamers. But ever since Morne Morkel became the bowling coach, Dube seems to be snapping his back harder and getting a little more bounce. He always had the attributes to get more bounce. He stands nice and tall at the crease, with a high release point. Someone in the Indian camp seems to have clearly pushed Dube to fulfil his potential with the ball in hand.
We saw a glimpse of it when he dismissed Asif Khan in the UAE-India game. On that occasion, he found a hint of nip off the deck too. In the India-Pakistan encounter, his two wickets played a vital role in pulling things back. From ball one, it was quite clear that Dube bent his back more. He also didn’t waver from his plan of bowling a wider line, and was rewarded with the scalp of the half-centurion, Sahibzada Farhan.
Despite Dube upgrading his bowling skills, there are concerns surrounding his main role, and that is to land meaty blows in the slog overs. At present, he seems to be bereft of confidence with the willow in hand. Having said that, the Indian think-tank would be pleased that they now have another bowling option, who can consistently bowl 2-3 overs. One has to, however, add a caveat – for that to happen, Dube should continue to make full use of his 6’4″ frame.
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