The fierce RCB Pace battery
Cricket is a game of sights – sights that leave you craving for more. Often touted as the batsman’s game, it reveals its most romantic side when a fast bowler runs in and outperforms his privileged counterpart. The counterpart with a suave willow and protective gears to save him from the rawness of a pacer’s wrath.
Fast bowlers are the bad guys you need for a good story
The story that otherwise runs the risk of getting banal or one-sided. The common wisdom is that the spinners contain before eventually trapping their prey, hence making them the ultimate match-winners in the shortest format of the game. But a good pacer, armed with variations that he has been forced to develop in a biased world of batsmen, is a team’s delight. Pacers are the only entity who are allowed a bit of recklessness, for it’s often the foundation stone of jaw-dropping greatness.
For IPL 2020, RCB have stocked some fierce ambassadors of the art of fast bowling
Led by Dale Steyn, The Challengers squad boasts of Navdeep Saini, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraz, and Australia’s Kane Richardson. Although, Shivam Dube, Isuru Udana and Chris Morris identify as all-rounders, their abilities – particularly Udana and Morris – with the ball, make them an integral part of the RCB battery.
With 96 wickets in 92 games at an economy of 6.76, Steyn’s numbers make him one of the best leaders of a pace attack across IPL teams. His experience environs a wholesome pace battery that draws its charge from an ever-smiling Umesh Yadav, who conceals a ruthless approach beneath an easy-going expression. Yadav’s 119 wickets in as many matches are a reflection on how he has spent years running in and bending his back on some of the most unforgiving conditions for a fast bowler.
Saini is new and thus prone to ignoring the consequences of trying 'dreamy' stuff. And that helps, often. His recent exploits in New Zealand were just a sign of things to come. On his day - and with the talent that he has, he will have many of those – he can run through any batting line-up.
Add to Saini’s exuberance, Richardson and Siraj’s variations and you have a perfect pace line-up, fully capable to take on any team.
On the other hand, Morris is a side dish that has all the ingredients to taste better than the main course. Trust him to throw match-winning spells now and then. Udana has been regarded as a death bowling specialist in the shorter format, thanks to his cutters and pace variations. Amid this starry field, Dube would be itching to make a name for himself with the ball.
Chinnaswamy is not quite a jog in the park for pacers. It’s often the final lap of a long marathon, which forces you to draw every ounce of energy before a hazy finish line appears. RCB have done their best to have a set of ‘bad boys’ who will run this final lap with elan and do every possible thing to write a ‘good story’ for their team this season.
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