They are so completely different from each other that it's difficult to imagine them working as a unit unless you've seen them in action. But Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra have come together to form a formidable pace unit.
Srinath drags himself around the field, Nehra appears totally disinterested in his surroundings, while Zaheer has flamboyance and aggression written all over.
But this unlikely threesome has been the major success story of this World Cup and mainly responsible for India's being in the semi-finals, with a serious chance of going the distance. Sourav Ganguly said as much: “This is the best pace attack in the tournament.”
So what's made the difference? Srinath, whose best form, most believed, was behind him, says this scepticism helped motivate him. “I don't try to bowl fast anymore. I know my limitations. It's just line and length for me,” he says.
And more has changed. In the past, you would have failed to get a word out of Srinath. Now he is neither shy nor reticent and stands up for the team. He is also an inspiring presence in the now famous huddle. Once the huddle forms, everyone looks to Srinath, who leads the discussion on strategy that is at the heart of the exercise.
Srinath has indeed matured into an elder statesman, in more ways than one.
{{/usCountry}}Srinath has indeed matured into an elder statesman, in more ways than one.
{{/usCountry}}Zaheer zips around the field, steams in fast and glares at batsmen. He is more in the mould of classical fast bowlers — though he often oversteps and bowls wide.
But batsmen are wary of his yorkers and ability to bowl a dream ball immediately after a half-volley. “All three of us have our own different parts to play in this set-up,” says Zaheer. “Mine is clear. I'm supposed to bowl fast and aggressively. I'm doing that, things are working.”
Nehra has mastered the art of deception. His movements are uncoordinated and his general demeanour lackadaisical. But he has almost touched 150 kmph and moved the ball phenomenally well. Kiwi skipper Stephen Fleming said on Friday: “Nehra was almost unplayable.”
Nehra attributes his success to good strategy and improved fitness. “I am a rhythm bowler and ever since I've begun bowling second change, my role has changed. The ball does not have that much shine and I try to bowl as fast as I can,” he says.
One man, who has remained in the background, has played a major role in this change. He is the team’s South African trainer Adrian le Roux.
Without le Roux's specialised training regimen, the three, especially Nehra, would probably have broken down by now, as they have on more than one occasion in the past.
All of them acknowledge his role. “We owe him a lot,” they say. And so does India.
ACCURATE, AGGRESSIVE, DECEPTIVE
Henry Olonga Quits: Zimbabwe’s 26-year-old pacer Henry Olonga retired from international cricket. He said it was dangerous for him to return to Zimbabwe given the political climate. Olonga wore black armbands during the match against Namibia on Feb. 10 to protest against the Mugabe regime.
Sri Lanka In Semis: Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 74 runs on Saturday to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals. The Lankans batted first and got 256, led by a century from Marvan Atapattu. Zimbabwe began their chase brightly, but ran out of steam as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
Brett Lee’s Hat-Trick: Brett Lee recorded the second hat-trick of the Cup, leaving Kenya tottering at 3 for 3. But Kenya made a brave recovery, finishing on 174. Their innings was built around a 79-run partnership between Steve Tikolo and Ravindu Shah. The first hat-trick was taken by Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas.