Top 5 Fast Bowlers in the World Currently
The game of cricket has always been perceived as a contest between bat and ball. A contest in which both facets have an equal chance of triumph.
However, in this day and age, cricket has come to be known as a game which is dominated by batsmen. The increased know-how of making better yet lighter bats, the new playing conditions and diminishing bowling prowess are all to blame for this.
Gone are the days when the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Brett Lee, and Dale Steyn instilled fear in the batsmen. Nowadays, fast bowlers are more content on containing the batsmen rather than going for wickets. Though there has been a general change in the mindset of the quicks, there are still some fast bowlers, who possess the uncanny ability to change games in the blink of an eye.
Through this article, we would look at such fast bowlers and determine who the best of the lot is, taking into consideration their adaptability and skill levels. Without wasting further time, here are the 5 best fast bowlers in the world at the moment:
#5 James Anderson (England)
The veteran Englishman hasn’t donned the coloured clothing for a while yet on the back of his Test performances, he remains one of the world’s best pace bowlers.
Anderson has been around the English set-up for a decade and a half. Despite being around the scene for such a long period, he is still able to surprise the batsmen with his supreme skill.
His biggest asset is his accuracy and his ability to move the ball both ways. With the help of late movement, Anderson has had the measure of several batsmen. Additionally, Anderson boasts the knack of knowing when to attack the batsmen and when to contain him. These attributes make him the ‘complete fast bowler’.
Having gone past Glenn McGrath’s tally of Test wickets, Anderson can count himself as one of the best quickies to have ever stepped onto a cricket field.
However, over the years, Anderson hasn’t been able to adapt to the rigours of limited-overs cricket. His last ODI came against Afghanistan in the 2015 World Cup.
Anderson not playing white-ball cricket frequently is what brings him down in our rankings. Hence, he can only garner the No.5 spot on our list.