WTC Final: How the current Indian bowling line-up has fared in Tests at Southampton
Team India will take on the Kiwis side in the summit clash of the inaugural World Test Championship on Friday. The Ageas Bowl in Southampton will be the backdrop for this historic contest.
Both teams boast world-class bowling line-ups that are capable of wreaking havoc on their day. There will be a battle for supremacy between the Kiwi trio of Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner, and the Indian pacers Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah.
India's fringe bowlers, including Mohammad Siraj, Shardul Thakur, and Washington Sundar, have also stepped up recently. All three were excellent with the ball during the 2020/21 tour of Australia and demonstrated the team's bench strength to the world. The young Indian bowling brigade exhibited extraordinary character and fortitude while dealing with pressure situations in recent times when senior bowlers like Sharma, Bumrah, Umesh Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja missed matches due to injuries.
Team India has played two Test matches at Southampton so far. In 2014, the MS Dhoni-led team suffered a heavy 260-run defeat. Virat Kohli led the side in India's 2018 tour of England, during which they played their second match at the Ageas Bowl. The visitors fought hard but eventually lost the Test by 60 runs due to incredible performances from Sam Curran and Moeen Ali. They will hope to set this record straight when they take New Zealand on in the WTC final.
Record of current Indian bowlers who have played at the Ageas Bowl
Jasprit Bumrah: Matches - 1 | Wickets - 4 | Best figures - 3/46 | Average - 24.25 | Strike rate - 58.50
Ishant Sharma: Matches - 1 | Wickets - 4 | Best figures - 2/26 | Average - 15.50 | Strike rate - 46.50
Mohammed Shami: Matches - 2 | Wickets - 7 | Best figures - 4/57 | Average - 36.43 | Strike rate - 60.86
Ravindra Jadeja: Matches - 1 | Wickets - 5 | Best figures - 3/52 | Average - 41 | Strike rate - 67.60
Ravichandran Ashwin : Matches - 1 | Wickets - 3 | Best figures - 2/40 | Average - 41.33 | Strike rate - 103.67
Rohit Sharma : Matches - 1 | Wickets - 1 | Best figures - 1/26 | Average - 58 | Strike rate - 84
(Note: Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Siraj, Thakur, and Yadav are yet to play a Test match at the Ageas Bowl.)
Over the past few years, Bumrah, Sharma, and Shami have established themselves as the unanimous leaders of India's bowling attack in Test cricket. The trio will most likely feature in India's playing XI in the WTC final. Cricket enthusiasts will hope for substantial contributions from the three pacers in the WTC final against a quality Kiwi batting unit.
During India's last Test at Southampton in 2018 against England, Shami picked up four wickets in the second innings and gave India a glimmer of hope. Shami's 4/57 are the best bowling figures by an Indian at the Ageas Bowl. Sharma and Bumrah were also among the wickets in that game as they picked up four wickets apiece across both innings.
Star spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, however, have had largely average outings at the venue so far. The duo will be eager to rectify their record if given a chance in the final.