The Pace of 2019: Indian fast bowlers wrap up best-ever performance in a calendar year

“Four years ago, against South Africa, India's spinners took 61 wickets to 9 for the quicks. In this series, spin got but 5 (none in this test) vs 33 to pace. The times, they are a changin'!” – Harsha Bhogle.

The times are surely changing. And Faf du Plessis’s comment post their dreadful defeat in India last month was a piece of big evidence. “Obviously we spoke about this before the series, the mindset coming here, especially after 2015 was, prepare yourself for a lot of spinning tracks. And it’s been the opposite… the Indian seam attack was tremendous," the South African skipper had said. Well, the plan was simple for every touring side heading to India – tackling the spinners. However, over the last two Test series, it has been the pacers who have been dictating terms with the red ball, and now even the pink ball in subcontinental conditions. The trio of Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami picked 59 wickets as against 38 wickets by the spinners. And with the end of the Bangladesh series in Kolkata, Indian pacers have capped off their best-ever performance in a calendar year.

The three along with Japsrit Bumrah picked 95 wickets between themselves. While their combined average of 15.16 is the best for any team's pace bowlers in a calendar year (with minimum 50 wickets), the combined strike rate of 31.06 is the best-ever for any team's pace bowlers in a calendar year with the same qualification. The pacers have also recorded the best-ever strike rate in a home season (with minimum 50 wickets) – 30.30 – surpassing the previous best of 32.6 by South Africa in 2016/17 season and 32.7 by West Indies in 2018.

Best bowling average for pacers in a calendar year (minumum eight matches)

In 2019, the pacers have conceded around 15 runs per wicket on an average which as per our calculation is the best in the world in a calendar year when pitted against some of the great bowling attacks that the world has witnessed. This means, the Indian pacers have outperformed the English attack under Peter May from an era of uncovered pitches, the Australian attack under Steve Waugh comprising Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie and the great West Indies attack comprising of Michael Holding, Patrick Patterson, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall, Courtney Walsh.

Performance of Indian pacers in 2019

What is even more interesting is that India have secured these figures in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who is arguably the best pacer in the side (look at his strike rate and average). He was sidelined with a stress fracture after the West Indies tour and hence the South Africa and Bangladesh series was left for Ishant, Shami and Umesh to handle. And the trio bagged 26 wickets against South Africa and picked 33 more against Bangladesh. While it indicates a happy headache for India in their impending Test campaigns, it is a signal of warning for opponents.

Performance of top-8 pacers in ICC World Test Championship in 2019

In the ongoing ICC World Test Championship, all four Indian pacers are part of the top-10 wicket-takers among pacers with Bumrah recording the best average and strike rate. In fact, in terms of average and strike rate, the Indians dominate the list.

"They (pacers) hunt as a pack. They take a lot of pride in each other. That's the secret behind this pack. They have their processes set, work on the basics, that's what has given them success. We are an experienced bowling attack. The beauty of this attack is how quickly they adapt to different situations. There's a lot of dialogue amongst the bowlers and I thought they adapted so well to the conditions here. It's definitely going to be a good challenge (New Zealand tour) and looking forward to it," said India's bowling coach Bharat Arun after India's win in Kolkata on Sunday.

For any avid follower of the game, these numbers may sound surprising, but to an Indian cricket fan, it is simply amazing to know that their national side has a group of four world-class pacers who on their day could not only end up with all 20 wickets, but also match to levels of the great Windies team of the 70s and 80s.