Chennai: Talks that generally surround an England cricket tour are all about the visiting batsmen’s vulnerability against the swinging ball. A hint of movement in the air is enough to make them jittery against England spearhead James Anderson, one of the finest exponents of swing bowling. And this time around, the biggest test for Virat Kohli & co. could come in the unconventional form — the reverse swing.
Unlike India’s previous tours, the conditions are expected to be a lot different when the five-Test series begins on August 1. As the heat wave in the UK has already sent the temperatures soaring and the pitches are likely to be dry as a result, England would be banking on reverse swing to trouble India.
Anderson, the most successful English bowler ever with 540 wickets in 138 matches, is a master at reversing the ball, too.
Former England bowling coach Troy Cooley said Anderson is a smart pacer who makes subtle changes to make full use of the conditions. “He will definitely trouble Kohli again. What you lose in swing, you get on the roundabout. He knows how to put doubts in batsmen's mind. He has the required arm speed and backs it up with skill to release the seam,” said the Australian, who played an instrumental role in helping several English bowlers including Anderson improve.
While reverse swing is an art, it also requires a team effort. Looking after the ball — to maintain one side dry and other shiny — is an important aspect. Generally teams spend considerable time strategising the reverse swing even before the contest begins and give the polishing duty to a player who sweats the least.
The Duke ball that is used in England assists conventional as well as reverse swing. Cooley said the dry square around the pitch could function as the sandpaper. “Duke is normally set for grassier and seaming surfaces. But when it gets dry, the coating on the ball gets ripped off rather quickly. Then it gives an opportunity to reverse. So, the square will play a big part in roughing up the ball naturally,” added Cooley.
The five-match series will test the endurance of Anderson who is no spring chicken at 35. He has to put in more effort to achieve the reverse swing. “He has to run in and bowl faster. The question is, does he have enough gas left in his tank to bowl consistently throughout the series? He just has to make sure he is pacing himself well for the longer battle,” said Cooley.
