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India bowler Bhuvi Kumar shows England the way in second Test India bowler Bhuvi Kumar shows England the way in second Test
(about 2 hours later)
Hail the Kumars of Meerut. Perhaps even compare the Meerut seamers. Then reflect on the pleasing little coincidence that would suggest conditions at Lord’s especially suit bowlers from Uttar Pradesh.Hail the Kumars of Meerut. Perhaps even compare the Meerut seamers. Then reflect on the pleasing little coincidence that would suggest conditions at Lord’s especially suit bowlers from Uttar Pradesh.
It is India’s most populous state, so perhaps it should be no surprise that with more than 200 million folk to draw from, the majority of them keen on their cricket, there are plenty of skilful bowlers. But it is noteworthy just the same that after Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two of the last four England wickets on Saturday morning to complete first-innings figures of six for 82, he became the third bowler from the state to earn a place on the Lord’s honours board in as many Tests.It is India’s most populous state, so perhaps it should be no surprise that with more than 200 million folk to draw from, the majority of them keen on their cricket, there are plenty of skilful bowlers. But it is noteworthy just the same that after Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two of the last four England wickets on Saturday morning to complete first-innings figures of six for 82, he became the third bowler from the state to earn a place on the Lord’s honours board in as many Tests.
RP Singh was the first, in what turned out to be a cracking match in 2007. The 28-year-old left-armer from Raebareli, just to the south of Lucknow, took two for 58 in the first innings, and five for 59 in the second, reducing England to 132 for five at one point before they were saved by a century from a chap called Pietersen – leaving MS Dhoni to steer India to a draw with nine wickets down.RP Singh was the first, in what turned out to be a cracking match in 2007. The 28-year-old left-armer from Raebareli, just to the south of Lucknow, took two for 58 in the first innings, and five for 59 in the second, reducing England to 132 for five at one point before they were saved by a century from a chap called Pietersen – leaving MS Dhoni to steer India to a draw with nine wickets down.
Four years later Singh’s place in the attack had gone to Praveen Kumar, another who was seen as the sort of seam and swing bowler who might prosper in English conditions. His five wickets in the first innings cost 106, with Pietersen this time scoring an unbeaten double century, and he lost his place to Singh by the end of a disastrous series for India. He has not played a Test since and, although he is still only 27, those close to the setup do not expect him to play again.Four years later Singh’s place in the attack had gone to Praveen Kumar, another who was seen as the sort of seam and swing bowler who might prosper in English conditions. His five wickets in the first innings cost 106, with Pietersen this time scoring an unbeaten double century, and he lost his place to Singh by the end of a disastrous series for India. He has not played a Test since and, although he is still only 27, those close to the setup do not expect him to play again.
But he still joined Singh on the honours board and his influence endures through his unrelated namesake Bhuvneshwar, who is from the same city of Meerut, not far from Delhi and around 500km to the north-west of Raebareli But he still joined Singh on the honours board and his influence endures through his unrelated namesake Bhuvneshwar, who is from the same city of Meerut, not far from Delhi and around 500km to the north-west of Raebareli.
“Praveen Kumar is my idol,” young Bhuvi explained in the Lord’s boardroom on Friday evening, after dismissing four of England’s top six – whereas in the first Test at Trent Bridge he had cleaned up the last five – to follow his third handy lower-order contribution with the bat. “I have watched him a lot from childhood. I had a talk with him before I came here. He is like a big brother for me and we play together for the same team [Uttar Pradesh]. He still helps me in bowling.”“Praveen Kumar is my idol,” young Bhuvi explained in the Lord’s boardroom on Friday evening, after dismissing four of England’s top six – whereas in the first Test at Trent Bridge he had cleaned up the last five – to follow his third handy lower-order contribution with the bat. “I have watched him a lot from childhood. I had a talk with him before I came here. He is like a big brother for me and we play together for the same team [Uttar Pradesh]. He still helps me in bowling.”
On the limited evidence of one and a half Tests here, plus England’s one-day series in India in early 2013, the younger Kumar should make a far greater impact on international cricket than his mentor. Even in India, he had stayed largely below the radar until late 2012, with the significant exception of becoming the first bowler to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar for a duck in first-class cricket. Then, on Christmas Day in Bangalore, he made a stunning debut in India’s blue with figures of three for nine in a Twenty20 victory against Pakistan.On the limited evidence of one and a half Tests here, plus England’s one-day series in India in early 2013, the younger Kumar should make a far greater impact on international cricket than his mentor. Even in India, he had stayed largely below the radar until late 2012, with the significant exception of becoming the first bowler to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar for a duck in first-class cricket. Then, on Christmas Day in Bangalore, he made a stunning debut in India’s blue with figures of three for nine in a Twenty20 victory against Pakistan.
England first encountered him in Rajkot, where he was wicketless and expensive, but in the second game of that one-day series in an intoxicating atmosphere in Kochi he dismissed Alastair Cook, Pietersen and Eoin Morgan in a match-clinching burst.England first encountered him in Rajkot, where he was wicketless and expensive, but in the second game of that one-day series in an intoxicating atmosphere in Kochi he dismissed Alastair Cook, Pietersen and Eoin Morgan in a match-clinching burst.
Even then, the word was that India, and especially Duncan Fletcher, fancied him as a bowler who would prosper in English conditions. “You won’t get these conditions in India,” he said with a polite smile when asked to discuss his success in England so far, thereby dismissing any possibility of a previously undiscovered similarity between Nottingham, London and Uttar Pradesh. “I am really enjoying bowling here.”Even then, the word was that India, and especially Duncan Fletcher, fancied him as a bowler who would prosper in English conditions. “You won’t get these conditions in India,” he said with a polite smile when asked to discuss his success in England so far, thereby dismissing any possibility of a previously undiscovered similarity between Nottingham, London and Uttar Pradesh. “I am really enjoying bowling here.”
More than that, so far he is giving the English seamers an object lesson in how to bowl in their own backyard.More than that, so far he is giving the English seamers an object lesson in how to bowl in their own backyard.