5 most miserly bowlers in Tests this year
They say if you want to win a Test, you need to have bowlers penetrative enough to pick 20 wickets on any kind of surface. That is why teams place such a high premium on wicket-taking bowlers and bowlers with the X-Factor. But, that is generally a myth because most bowlers pick wickets in pairs and every wicket-taking bowler needs a great supporting act from the other end.
In a recent interview, the ICC Test Player of the Year, Ravichandran Ashwin, revealed how he is ever thankful to Ravindra Jadeja, who gives nothing away from the other end, keeping a lid on things. The pressure helps Ashwin experiment from the other end and the results are there for everyone to see.
Also read: Top 5 run-scorers in 2016 across all formats
Yet, it is not that Jadeja doesn’t pick up wickets. He has a machine-like consistency. He is probably the McGrath of spin bowling which is why he finds himself on this list. On that note, take a look at the five most miserly bowlers in Tests in 2016:
Qualification: At least 20 wickets for one year, 30 for two years, 50 for five years.
#5 Neil Wagner – 41 wickets at 21.04 and economy – 2.69
Some call him the axe-man of New Zealand. Some call him the worker-bee of the fast bowling department. Neil Wagner never tires. He, therefore, goes on and on, giving his captain excellent control even as Trent Boult and Tim Southee are attacking from the other end.
The man, who can keep bowling bouncers all day and keep coming at the batsmen, has picked up an impressive 41 wickets in 9 Tests this year, his average, the second lowest for any bowler with more than 20 wickets.
Wagner, who doesn’t feature in the top 20 in the list of bowlers with lowest economy rates over 5 years, has come up by leaps and bounds in the last 2 years. He is sixth on the list of most economical bowlers over the last 2 years and fifth in the current year.