Top 5 Indian test wicket-takers (Part 3)
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bhagwath-Subramanya-Chandrasekhar-c47929
Bedi’s former teammate occupies the number 5 position of the top 5 Indian test wicket-taker. Bhagwath Subramanya Chandrasekhar is the finest wicket taker Indian cricket has ever produced. Chandrasekhar bowled leg-breaks, which were highly missed judged
by international batsmen of his time.
Chandra was a rare jewel for the Indian bowling fraternity. Famously known as a match-winner, he took an impressive of 42 wickets in 5 test matches overseas. Batsmen didn’t really know what to expect from him, and at times Chandra himself didn’t as well,
as he once admitted. Chandra was hit with a polio attack in his childhood but he used his handicap left arm into good use. He used to bowl with a long, bouncing run up; he gave sharp googlies, dreadful top-spinners and leg-breaks at near medium pace from back
of his hand with a lashing action. He is most famously known for his 6 for 38 at the Oval’s in 1971, as it gave the Indians their first series win in England. He was also one of the reasons for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 in 1978, as he took
12 for 104 at the Melbourne ground.
Chandra’s 242 wickets came at an average of 29.74, with a complimenting strike rate of 65.9. From the 58 matches he played, the veteran took a massive of 16 five-wicket hauls in a single inning and 2 ten-wicket hauls in a test match. His best figures in
an innings are 8 for 79 and best in a test match is 12 for 104.
Chandra surely deserved a position in the top-5 wicket takers of Indian bowling history. However, Indian current fast bowler Zaheer Khan has also taken the same amount of wickets as Chandra, but his bowling average is 32.98, and has played way more matches
than Chandra to reach the 242 wicket mark.
Although the international cricket arena has produced much better test wicket-takers, the Indian’s top 5 test wicket-takers surely do stand alongside other bowling greats the world has witnessed.
However, according to senior and former players the Indian’s lack discipline in their bowling power. Left arm Pakistani veteran fast bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wasim-Akram-c96292 recently criticized the Indian team in an interview pointing out the limited effort the Indian bowlers
are putting into the practice session. He also commented on how the inclusion of T20’s and Indian Premier League (IPL) has ruined the stamina of their bowling abilities.
Akram also said that in his times and before test cricket was a constant part of international cricket, a minimum amount of matches were to be played by every cricket team, but in recent times, due to the lack of money national cricket has to offer, cricketers
opt for T20’s or IPL, as it brings more money to the game, which results in the decrease in passion for playing for regular tests.
No matter what is the case, the Indian cricket team is still the number 1 ranking test team by the ICC. And the country has seen world-class bowlers in likes of the top 5 Indian test wicket-taker discussed above. Keeping in mind, that soon a test World Championship
will come into play, the Indians should however, work on their bowling department.
One can only hope for the best, and wish that the talented lands of India can produce more of these world class test wicket-takers.
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