#NewsBytesExplainer: The Fab Four of fast bowling
The game of cricket has had a profound history of manufacturing 'Fab Four' in every generation. Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root and Kane Williamson have been the recent exponents of batting segment's elite club. Meanwhile, the modern day fast bowlers have also clamped their authority in international cricket lately. Let us decipher the bowlers who make it to the Fab Four.
Jasprit Bumrah's quirky action has made him the most dangerous bowler in recent times. The 26 year-old has been the linchpin of Indian pace attack across formats. He averages below 25 in each of the three formats. His searing yorkers at the death, especially in T20I cricket, makes him a standout bowler. Bumrah has taken 231 wickets from 128 internationals at 22.16.
In his 14-Test-old career, Bumrah has not played a single game at home. He owns 68 wickets in the format, including 5 five-wicket hauls. His Test average of 20.33 is the lowest among active fast bowlers.
Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc is touted as world's fast bowler presently. His express pace gives the batsmen a run for the money. The southpaw also comes up with the propensity to generate natural movement off the pitch. Starc shines forth by bowling full and making early inroads in the batting line-up. He also produces reverse swing with the red ball.
Starc has snapped up 465 wickets in 179 internationals at 24.38. He surpassed Glenn McGrath's tally (26) of most wickets in a single World Cup edition, in 2019. Starc finished with 27 scalps at an incredible average of 18.59.
Starc's compatriot Pat Cummins has taken huge strides in world cricket of late. Despite coping with perpetual injuries, the latter has been effective for Australia in all three formats. Cummins is currently the top-tanked Test bowler, while he holds the fourth spot in ODI rankings. His immaculate line and length has compelled the cricket pundits to draw comparisons with veteran bowler Glenn McGrath.
Since March 2017, Australia have won 16 out of 29 Tests in Pat Cummins' presence. He has claimed 74 scalps at 20.43 in those matches. His best bowling figures of 10/62 were registered during this period.
New Zealand's Trent Boult is yet another left-arm seamer to have entered the club. He is one of the few fast bowlers who bring the ball into the right-handed batsman. Boult carries the meat, which could unsettle the strongest batting line-up on any given day. His ferocious spells against India in the 2019 ODI series at home grabbed quite a few eyeballs.
Boult has 470 wickets to his name in 184 internationals at 26.35. In 2019, he became the fastest bowler to claim 100 ODI wickets in a country. Boult achieved the feat in his 49th ODI, having eclipsed Waqar Younis' record (53 ODIs).
