The Legends of Legends: Here's Top 5 Bowling Attacks in Test Cricket
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin have been a very effective duo for India in Test Cricket (Source: Twitter)
Before the main discussion, let us talk about two cricket scenarios:
Three slips, two gullies stationed for the batter, the ball is swinging, and a pacer is going full throttle to pick up wickets. Now, imagine an instance where four to five close-in fielders are waiting for an edge of the bat while a spinner is weaving his magic around the batters. Is it likely you will see such instances in T20 Cricket? No, but Test cricket, the purest format of the game, comes up with visuals like this.
For the format of the game, where bowling is still an attacking art, we will look at the best bowling units to have graced the game. This ride along the timeline will take us to different eras of cricket, and we will learn about some of the most lethal artisans with the ball to have ever played cricket.
5. Umesh Yadav- Ishant Sharma-Ravichandran Aswhin-Ravindra Jadeja (India):
Ravichandran Ashwin-Ishant Sharma-Ravindra Jadeja-Umesh Yadav (Source: OneCricket)
This Indian bowling attack was responsible for the team attaining and holding on to the number one rack in Test cricket for an extended period. These four players have played 12 matches together (between 2015-2021), and in these matches, they have a collective number of 206 wickets. A fifth member of this unit was Mohammed Shami, who must be addressed if we discuss India's success in Test cricket in this period.
4. Allan Donald-Shaun Pollock-Jaques Kallis (South Africa):
Allan Donald-Shaun Pollock-Jacques Kallis (Source: OneCricket)
This South African trio played 40 matches together. This was a bowling attack which most of the teams feared at the time, barring probably the mighty Aussies. These three could reduce even the most formidable batting line-up to ashes when on song. Donald-Pollock-Kallis shared 415 wickets among themselves in the 40 Tests they played together. Along with these three mainstays, others like Hansie Cronje, Paul Adams, Nicky Boje and Makhaya Ntini made South Africa a team to contain during the time.
3. Wasim Akram-Waqar Younis-Imran Khan (Pakistan):
Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis combined with the experienced Imran Khan formed one of the most formidable Test bowling attacks (Source: Twitter)
From 1989-1992, Pakistan saw the rise of the two most lethal future bowlers, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Imran Khan played the mentor to these two bowlers. While Wasim and Waqar picked up wickets at will, Imran was the senior member of this trio, and his job was to create pressure on the batters for the other two to be at their lethal best. These three played 11 matches together and picked up 113 wickets in them.
2. Glenn McGrath-Jason Gillespie-Shane Warne-Brett Lee (Australia):
Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne led the Australian Test attack in the late 90s and early 2000s (Source: Twitter)
Well, we all remember when Australia was the unarguable ruler of World Cricket. It is said, even today, that it was a team of machines where each member was near perfect in the roles assigned to them. But the biggest credit for the team being invincible should be given to the bowling attack. It was the perfect all-round bowling attack. They had the perfection of McGrath, Brett Lee's aggression, Jason Gillespie's precision, and Shane Warne's flamboyance. These four played 16 matches together and picked up 265 wickets in them.
1. Andy Roberts-Colin Croft-Michael Holding-Joel Garner (West Indies):
Andy Roberts-Colin Croft-Michael Holding-Joes Garner (Source: Twitter)
As starters about this Quartet, they were nicknamed the 'Four Horsemen of Apocalypse'. If this needs to give more idea of how lethal and dangerous they were, some of the interviews of the best batters from the period might give you a better idea. The relentlessness, pace, accuracy and potency of the bowling attack gave many batters sleepless nights during the time. They played 11 matches together and picked up 173 wickets in them. This Quartet will stay at the top of the list for many more years because of their impact on the opposition, even before taking the field.
 "Probuddha Bhattacharjee")
