Is poor fitness and strength the major reasons why our fast bowlers struggle in Test cricket?

[Savak]

I keep comparing our present pace attack to the Indian bowling attack. I have been watching the Indian bowling attack of Shami, Bhumra, Yadav, Sharma, Pandya, Siraj for the last 2-3 years. We know that Kohli is a fitness freak and he has sent the message clear to the squad that if you do not buy into the fitness, diet culture that i want, you will not play for India on my watch.

In the last 2-3 years, i have noticed the Indian pacers have the ability to charge in at 85-90 mph and if the situation really demands it i.e. you have a new batsman at the crease, even bowl an effort ball at 92 mph but these indian bowlers can operate at these speeds for 6-7 different spells in the day and in 7-8 over spells therefore giving absolutely no respite to the batting side at all. No wonder the Indian bowling unit is the best in the world today. This is what you need to stop someone like Williamson from cashing in later on. Bhumra in an interview attributed this to the quality batting wickets in Indian domestic cricket where bowlers have to bowl longer spells, bend their backs to get wickets.

Contrast this to the Pakistani bowling attack where the likes of Shaheen and Naseem Shah operate at 100% in their first spell but they start to decline in their second spell and by their third spell onwards they are trundling and are no longer able to maintain the same pressure on the batting sides. The less said about the Zulfiqar Babar trundler Mohd Abbass the better. Faheem is there to do a holding job so i won't really criticize him.

I don't really think there is going to be a quick fix to this problem except for the PCB making long term investments in domestic cricket to ensure our pacers are able to bowl longer spells in domestic cricket but surely the team's fitness trainers and nutritionists, strength and conditioning coaches have to be held accountable for our pacers being so lethargic in their second and third spell onwards. If you have mediocre standards you will have mediocre results

 

[Colorblind Genius]

Lack of ability to swing in various conditions.
Lack of strength and fitness to bowl quick Yorkers and sharp rising deliveries.

 

[Slog]

Lack of talent

 

[Oxfordchamp]

In the past, some posters used to stupidly comment about genetic buildup and physical superiority of Pakistani bowlers...wonder where they are hiding now..

 

[Savak]

Lack of talent

I don't buy this, i am pretty sure if Bharat Arun worked on Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, he will show his mark on them in 1.5 years i.e. the same amount of time we have given to WY

 

[dildilpak]

There are 2 major problems in Pak cricket- lack of proper organization (set-up) & grooming. Its apparent that the physical, nutritional & mental well-being of the players is not being looked after. Look at the difference in body language & mental strength between the players of the two teams - one session doesnt go our way, our shoulders droop & the balls become defensive, we start spilling easy catches or bowling no-balls. And they win a match after getting out for 36 in the previous one. PCB has never invested in the mental strength of the players & that is costing the team big time

 

[Varun]

If tiny New Zealand can produce Trent Boult, Tim Southee and a host of other lower profile seamers superior to the so-called fast bowling factory in Pakistan, perhaps it's time to admit that there aren't any bowlers of note in the Pakistani quarry after all.

 

[Savak]

There are 2 major problems in Pak cricket- lack of proper organization (set-up) & grooming. Its apparent that the physical, nutritional & mental well-being of the players is not being looked after. Look at the difference in body language & mental strength between the players of the two teams - one session doesnt go our way, our shoulders droop & the balls become defensive, we start spilling easy catches or bowling no-balls. And they win a match after getting out for 36 in the previous one. PCB has never invested in the mental strength of the players & that is costing the team big time

Mental Strength only comes from doing the hard yards in a competitive environment for years and years. The gap between our domestic and international cricket right now is far to big and its going to take the PCB making non stop investments for the next 5-10 years in both domestic cricket, our academies, high performance centres to slowly bridge some of the gaps.

Indian Cricketers are also good students of the game, they learn from their mistakes, apply themselves better, the Indian bowlers are not only skillful, they also study the opposition batsmen and put together a good game plan and have the strength, fitness, fortitude to stick to it

 

[PerfectionPersonified]

Fitness may but Professionalis plays a big part. Pakistan dont have the likes of Wasim, Waqar , Shoaib , Asif etc, we have genuine medium pace trundlers

 

[Hyperion66]

Lack of skills, none of them are complete bowlers. Abbas is accurate and that's where his reach ends. He doesn't offer anything else. He is not, tall, fast or intelligent enough to force the bats commit mistakes using his accuracy. Shaheen is good with the new ball, does get some movement but I don't think he has any control over it. Naseem and Faheem are garbage against good batting units. The thing is what you lack in skills you can more than make up for it by meticulous planning which doesn't seem to be the case with Pak bowlers either. they just deliver the ball hoping something would happen, doesn't even look like they are trying execute a plan.

 

[Hyperion66]

In the past, some posters used to stupidly comment about genetic buildup and physical superiority of Pakistani bowlers...wonder where they are hiding now..

They are still there blaming batting and fielding.

 

[globalcitizen]

Test match bowling is about bowling right lengths, fitness to bowl longer spells and making plans for each dismissal and being patient. Right now Pakistan is not doing this consistently. looks like they are lacking confidence in their own abilities

 

[sharmaji]

It is strange, because everyone on PP says that Waqar Younis is strict on fitness and pushes hard on building strength and stamina. I wonder what he is doing wrong if the results on the pitch are like this.

 

[Savak]

It is strange, because everyone on PP says that Waqar Younis is strict on fitness and pushes hard on building strength and stamina. I wonder what he is doing wrong if the results on the pitch are like this.

He is the bowling coach now. Secondly Fitness is a gradual process. Even the most professional trainers insist on rest and recuperation whereas Waqar would blindly demand each and everyone run 50 laps of the ground.

 

[Mamoon]

You can say this about Shaheen who always bowls well with the new ball and but runs out of steam after his first spell.

However, the likes of Abbas are not good enough in terms of skill and ability. Making them fitter will not transform them into lethal bowlers.

This might be harsh on Abbas considering his overall record, but he has been worked out since the Australian series in 2018. If you don’t play cross batted shots against him you can treat him like a net practice session all day long and he will not have a plan B.

New Zealand was the first team that worked him out right after he created havoc against Australia. They must have seen footage of Australian batsmen and the way they gifted him wickets with indisciplined batting.

 

[Savak]

You can say this about Shaheen who always bowls well with the new ball and but runs out of steam after his first spell.

However, the likes of Abbas are not good enough in terms of skill and ability. Making them fitter will not transform them into lethal bowlers.

This might be harsh on Abbas considering his overall record, but he has been worked out since the Australian series in 2018. If you don’t play cross batted shots against him you can treat him like a net practice session all day long and he will not have a plan B.

New Zealand was the first team that worked him out right after he created havoc against Australia. They must have seen footage of Australian batsmen and the way they gifted him wickets with indisciplined batting.

I remember Bhuvenshvar Kumar early on in his career was a 127-130 km/hr bowler but the BCCI over a period of time managed to increase his pace to 140-144 km/hr. Strength and conditioning is everything in sports today, whether something like that will work for Abbas, i can't tell but i definately feel Amir's decline in the last few years has more to do with the fact he has not looked after himself from a strength, conditioning point of view and even now in the last 1.5 years where he has not played that much cricket, he is still operating at 127-132 km/hr in the T-20 leagues and he is officially only 28 years old. Even if he is 30 years old, there is no reason why he should not be right up there at 139-144 km/hr in his prime right now.

I seriously hopes that the PCB really studies how India has completely uplifted their Cricket because of this ruthless fitness and strength conditioning crusade in the last 5-6 years.

 

[Mamoon]

I remember Bhuvenshvar Kumar early on in his career was a 127-130 km/hr bowler but the BCCI over a period of time managed to increase his pace to 140-144 km/hr. Strength and conditioning is everything in sports today, whether something like that will work for Abbas, i can't tell but i definately feel Amir's decline in the last few years has more to do with the fact he has not looked after himself from a strength, conditioning point of view and even now in the last 1.5 years where he has not played that much cricket, he is still operating at 127-132 km/hr in the T-20 leagues and he is officially only 28 years old. Even if he is 30 years old, there is no reason why he should not be right up there at 139-144 km/hr in his prime right now.

I seriously hopes that the PCB really studies how India has completely uplifted their Cricket because of this ruthless fitness and strength conditioning crusade in the last 5-6 years.

B Kumar was very young when he broke onto scene and is still much younger than Abbas.

Abbas is officially 30 but in reality, he isn’t a day younger than 36-37.

 

[Savak]

Lack of skills, none of them are complete bowlers. Abbas is accurate and that's where his reach ends. He doesn't offer anything else. He is not, tall, fast or intelligent enough to force the bats commit mistakes using his accuracy. Shaheen is good with the new ball, does get some movement but I don't think he has any control over it. Naseem and Faheem are garbage against good batting units. The thing is what you lack in skills you can more than make up for it by meticulous planning which doesn't seem to be the case with Pak bowlers either. they just deliver the ball hoping something would happen, doesn't even look like they are trying execute a plan.

The planning bit is where a good coaching staff comes in. The way the players are playing, the bowlers are bowling, it appears there is no alternative planning if Plan A fails. A more proactive team would have dropped Abbas and Shaheen by now. I won't criticize Faheem that much, he is just there to do a holding job and to give respite to the other pacers.

 

[Sir Alex]

I think Pakistanis do not play County cricket as they used to in the 70s and 80s and even 90s. SC Pacers playing County cricket have always helped them by instilling discipline and fitness regime which their boards doesn't, in addition to bring them in touch with good International talent to rub shoulders with.

As much as it is maligned, in India s case, the IPL has managed to do most of the above. It gives them a chance to train in best manner possible and also helps the young bowlers to dig the brains of International Greats like Dale Steyn.

I do not know if Pakistani pacers will get much of a chance to play in England often now given the scheduling conflicts and the pressure on counties to restrict overseas players spending. But wherever possible, PCB must consider sending them, if possible on secondments (at no to little cost to the counties) abroad.

Another way would be increase the A tours to SENA countries thereby giving potentials a chance to ply their trade in these conditions before they are pushed to the deep end in Test cricket directly.

And most importantly, stop picking players on a hunch when they are just 16 or 17. Modern cricket has become far too sophisticated for just talent alone to justify spots in International sides. Nowadays it require much more than it - a solid work ethic, professionalism, willingness to learn at all times, prime focus on fitness and a hunger to succeed. It is impossible for a 16 year old to showcase all of this. Instead make each player earn his spot in the team, by pushing them through a rigorous but rewarding domestic cricket structure.

Pakistan definitely has the genetics but need to bring themselves into the 2020s way of cricket.

 

[Sir Alex]

In the past, some posters used to stupidly comment about genetic buildup and physical superiority of Pakistani bowlers...wonder where they are hiding now..

Modern nutrition and fitness regimes have nullified this theory, which was circumspect to begin with.

Look at the Indian bowlers for example, none of them are built like tanks or are 6 feet 5 inches. Instead they are professional, diligent in their fitness and nutrition, allowing them to bowl at 140 kph regularly.

 

[sharmaji]

Ok, I understand now. But isn't there a strength and conditioning coach with the Pak team, what does he do then?

He is the bowling coach now. Secondly Fitness is a gradual process. Even the most professional trainers insist on rest and recuperation whereas Waqar would blindly demand each and everyone run 50 laps of the ground.

 

[sharmaji]

Also, being built like a tank is not necessary for fast bowling. Sohail Khan looks like a bodybuilder but he can hardly bowl 20 overs in a day.

Modern nutrition and fitness regimes have nullified this theory, which was circumspect to begin with.

Look at the Indian bowlers for example, none of them are built like tanks or are 6 feet 5 inches. Instead they are professional, diligent in their fitness and nutrition, allowing them to bowl at 140 kph regularly.

 

[JibranAnsari]

not enough skill and lack of cricketing intelligence.

 

[UzmanBeast]

I keep comparing our present pace attack to the Indian bowling attack. I have been watching the Indian bowling attack of Shami, Bhumra, Yadav, Sharma, Pandya, Siraj for the last 2-3 years. We know that Kohli is a fitness freak and he has sent the message clear to the squad that if you do not buy into the fitness, diet culture that i want, you will not play for India on my watch.

In the last 2-3 years, i have noticed the Indian pacers have the ability to charge in at 85-90 mph and if the situation really demands it i.e. you have a new batsman at the crease, even bowl an effort ball at 92 mph but these indian bowlers can operate at these speeds for 6-7 different spells in the day and in 7-8 over spells therefore giving absolutely no respite to the batting side at all. No wonder the Indian bowling unit is the best in the world today. This is what you need to stop someone like Williamson from cashing in later on. Bhumra in an interview attributed this to the quality batting wickets in Indian domestic cricket where bowlers have to bowl longer spells, bend their backs to get wickets.

Contrast this to the Pakistani bowling attack where the likes of Shaheen and Naseem Shah operate at 100% in their first spell but they start to decline in their second spell and by their third spell onwards they are trundling and are no longer able to maintain the same pressure on the batting sides. The less said about the Zulfiqar Babar trundler Mohd Abbass the better. Faheem is there to do a holding job so i won't really criticize him.

I don't really think there is going to be a quick fix to this problem except for the PCB making long term investments in domestic cricket to ensure our pacers are able to bowl longer spells in domestic cricket but surely the team's fitness trainers and nutritionists, strength and conditioning coaches have to be held accountable for our pacers being so lethargic in their second and third spell onwards. If you have mediocre standards you will have mediocre results

Lack of experience is the biggest factor. Look at the number of FC games the Indian pacers have played. It is only when you do something for a long time that you eventually become good at it, and that is why bowling long spells in FC Cricket is so important.

Right now, only Hasan Ali has bowled marathon spells at a good pace in our FC system, and the likes of Naseem and Shaheen haven't even collectively played 50 FC games.

 

[Hasan123]

It plays a part. But overall it is a quality and lack of intelligence which are the main issues.

 

[Colorblind Genius]

If I take the liberty of connecting these two dots.

The gap between our domestic and international cricket right now is far to big and its going to take the PCB making non stop investments for the next 5-10 years in both domestic cricket, our academies, high performance centres to slowly bridge some of the gaps.

That's why, almost it never works when we send a national team player back into domestic to "improve".
Our domestic cricket standard simply does not provide that kind of resistance for a player to be developed more.

What will Naseem Shah gain, by going back into Domestic? He will take a truck loads of wickets and our selectors will jump into the scorecards and feel that he has done what was needed, so lets bring him back into the national team. And he will fail again.

I think Pakistanis do not play County cricket as they used to in the 70s and 80s and even 90s. SC Pacers playing County cricket have always helped them by instilling discipline and fitness regime which their boards doesn't, in addition to bring them in touch with good International talent to rub shoulders with.

This is the major thing we miss in developing our emerging players both in skill and discipline.
They MUST get out of Pakistan's domestic cricket to improve further (in skill and discipline) as they go into the transition of getting into the national team.

Perhaps PCB, should start scheduling more and more and more A tours?
This may help them get a little more battle-hardened but the discipline part may still not improve a whole lot.

 

[JaDed]

"We train very hard and we are used to bowling a lot of overs in Ranji cricket, so the body is doing well," Bumrah

https://www.indiatvnews.com/sports/...rah-domestic-structure-for-mcg-victory-496249



It’s also a reason for good debut of siraj -FC experience , how he fares now when teams take him seriously is upto him..

 

[hitthestump]

Instead of throwing rocks at nobody cricketers in meaningless t20's it would have been better for Hasnain and Rauf to stay home and learn to bowl in FC cricket with a kookaburra.

Pakistan might need to start strategically leaving fringe players at home when tours clash with QeA.

 

[MenInG]

Over 600 runs conceded to the opposition!

Surely there is more to it than fitness?

 

[wakkkLDN]

In the past, some posters used to stupidly comment about genetic buildup and physical superiority of Pakistani bowlers...wonder where they are hiding now..

Haha the pakistani uncles would say such things to us as kids, Pakistani pathan or punjabi or jaandar hota hai hindu say

 

[BigShak]

Instead of throwing rocks at nobody cricketers in meaningless t20's it would have been better for Hasnain and Rauf to stay home and learn to bowl in FC cricket with a kookaburra.

Pakistan might need to start strategically leaving fringe players at home when tours clash with QeA.

Yeah and not host pointless LOI series against the likes of Zimbabwe right in the middle of the FC season.

 

[burger_uno]

bowling has been poor. but you cannot give multiple chances to a batsman of the class of williamson who is in the form of his life and then expect any better. pakistan catching has always been unacceptable but in the past, we had bowlers of a better caliber who could get batsmen out many different ways sometimes in the same inning. now our attack is inexperienced and needed the support of fielders but have been let down. seems obvious to say in this day and age but fielding ability and fitness levels are two factors which should play a much more important role in pak team selection than it currently does. it might be understandable if team gets outshone in the talent department but it should be completely unacceptable to have another team whose fitness level is greater than that of pakistani team. this is something which cannot be be achieved in one day but unless the attitude towards fitness and fielding is changed, pak will not be able to compete with the best.

i also recall a discussion on dropped catches by channel 9 commentators in late 90s when pakistan team put in a particularly egregious demonstration in the field. i remember ian chapel saying that pakistani players used to get intimidated and nervous when touring australia and since they were tense in the field, they usually go to the ball with hard hands which resulted in dropped catches. he also commented on connection between fitness and concentration level which is obvious. it might be possible that dressing room is not a happy place for whatever reason as a result of which players are nervous which results in fatal mistakes on the field. it is hard to believe that elite athletes can make the same mistake time after time. responsibility ultimately lies with misbah and his head will be on the chopping block if things dont change. its understandable if williamson is the reason between success and failure but it is unacceptable that he has been dropped 2-3x every inning.

catching can be the difference between success and failure for a bowler. i remember sami bowling a very hostile spell to ponting with ponting ultimately nicking and getting dropped after which he made pakistan pay. i also recall ponting going through a bad run when he hooked shoaib (i think) and amir dropping a sitter after which ponting getting a double. i also recall cook being a beneficiary of such generosity by pakistan when he was going through a lean trot. we also have the example of kaneria and akmal.

pakistan bowling attack might be poor but we will not know its potential until the support improves. the days of wasim, waqar, saqlain and asif might come again but until then team has to do with talent at hand.

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

Over 600 runs conceded to the opposition!

Surely there is more to it than fitness?

If they held onto the catches and did not bowl no-balls, we could have restricted them to 450. Yes, there is more to it than fitness. It's called IQ.

 

[speed_thrills]

Well, I will take all the glowing tributes being paid to Indian bowlers, but B. Kumar was not managed well by the BCCI.

He was always a 125-130K bowler and in order to make him 135-140K bowler, his prodigious swing was lost as well as he is injured almost all the time. We missed out on our own M. Abbas.