India vs West Indies: Virat Kohli's relentlessly aggressive bowling unit fashions sweeping domination in Caribbean

India showed why they are the No 1 ranked Test side in the world as they defeated West Indies by 257 runs at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica and collect all the 120 points available in the World Test Championship race, as the series was sealed 2-0. The credit of the win, without doubt, rests with their bowlers. The line-up of Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Ravindra Jadeja, backed by R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, and Kuldeep Yadav are as good as any foursome or a sevensome from any another team in Test cricket today. Since India displaced their neighbour from the top spot in the rankings in October 2016, they are second only to South Africa in terms of bowling average (23.71 to South Africa’s 25.69) and strike rate (45.8 to South Africa’s 53.6). However, their bowling record is the best for teams when they play away from home in this period (see Table below).

In the opening Test of the series at Antigua, West Indies were first limited by Ishant and in the second innings, blown away by Bumrah who had shaken off the rust and stiffness. As the series moved to Jamaica, a pitch with a lot more grass welcomed the teams. One can only imagine what would have happened if India had won the toss and bowled first on a spicy opening day track instead of West Indies who frittered away the advantage. Some evidence of what could have been was seen as soon as India began their turn with the ball. Bumrah demolished the West Indies top order, including a hat-trick — third for an Indian bowler in Tests — and set a personal best of 6/27. Speaking to the host broadcaster, Ishant — on the day he turned 31 — said he had to jokingly tell his opening ball partner to slow his “V8 engine down a bit” and “let the other bowlers warm up too” before he wipes out the opposition so that the wickets could be shared. There was a moment during the demolition spell when Bumrah had taken 10 West Indian wickets for 19 runs spread across two innings — second innings at Antigua and the first at Jamaica. [caption id=“attachment_7273921” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Bumrah’s mastery with the ball has been so thorough that he has elicited high praise from former West Indian fast bowling greats like Sir Andy Roberts and Sir Curtly Ambrose. AFP[/caption] Bumrah’s mastery with the ball has been so thorough that he has elicited high praise from former West Indian fast bowling greats like Sir Andy Roberts and Sir Curtly Ambrose, with Sir Andy going as far as to say that Bumrah would make the cut to be accepted into the club by the fearsome foursome. While Bumrah has been the toast of the cricket world, Ishant, Shami, and Jadeja have quietly gone about their business. It came more into view as India set an almost impossible target of 468 runs for West Indies at Jamaica with more than two days of play remaining. As Bumrah threatened the batsmen’s edges and their health with accurate, sharp bowling, Ishant and Shami provided the initial breakthrough. Jadeja featured more in the frame as the pitch had flattened out and the seamers were not able to find the assistance that they found a day earlier. Kohli reasoned it is the “control” that the left-arm spinner provides with his accuracy and indefatigability to bowl long spells that allows him to be “constantly in the playing eleven.” India’s patience was tested on the fourth morning as a partnership between Shamarh Brooks and concussion substitute Jermaine Blackwood developed. While it did not come close ever be considered threatening, India were pushing for wickets after they had knocked a couple out early and Darren Bravo left as he felt the effects of the knock he received on his head from Bumrah the previous evening. It would take a spell of bowling dry after the lunch break by Ishant and Jadeja — masters of it since the MS Dhoni years — that would make Blackwood itchy for runs and soon perish edging Bumrah. Jadeja sent down four overs (three of which were maidens) allowing just three runs, while Ishant was put away for just one boundary in his three-over spurt. It was good old fashioned, attritional Test cricket and the benefits of it were reaped by Bumrah. Once the 61-run partnership was broken, it was only a matter of time before Indian bowlers completed the formalities. The innings was wrapped in a further 67 deliveries with wickets shared by Ishant, Shami and Jadeja. When asked on becoming the most successful Test captain for India, Kohli aptly responded by lavishing credits on all his bowers. “If we didn’t have the kind of bowlers we have, I don’t think results like these are possible.” While the first innings was a one-man show, the second innings was a collective effort from the bowlers that indicated as to why India have been the top Test side in the world for 35 months and counting.