It’s very rare that you come across a non-subcontinental fast bowler who has enjoyed as much success as Dale Steyn has in India. But then Steyn belongs to that rare breed of fast bowlers who take conditions out of the equation.
While the South African batsmen will be spending as much time honing their skills against spin as they would be while watching and analysing off-spinner R Ashwin, the Indian batsmen know the biggest threat they face is from Steyn, even on surfaces that are likely to be designed to aid hosts’ slower bowlers. India’s wariness towards Steyn is not without any reason though.
In the two Tests that South Africa have won during their visits to India in 2008 and 2010, Steyn played a key role. His eight-wicket and 10-wicket hauls in Ahmedabad (2008) and Nagpur (2010) respectively had helped Proteas take lead in both series only for the home side to level them.
Overall, in the five Tests that the right-arm quick has played in India, he has claimed 26 wickets at an average of 20.23 as against his career average of 22.48. His strike rate of 34.5 is even more impressive when compared with his career’s (41.5). Steyn’s awareness of the conditions and ability to adapt have been crucial to him emerging as an all-weather bowler.
“Pace through the air is really important,” says Steyn while pointing out as to what it takes to succeed as a fast bowler in India. “With the wickets here being on the slow side, anything that is 135 and down, to be honest with you, the batters are able to make the adjustment, when the ball hits the deck. The guys that bowl 145+ rush the batters. It gives you a lot less time to adjust when the ball is reversing or when there is something off the deck. So one of the key things I've done here is to bowl fast. But control is another thing. You've got to land the new ball in the right area,” he reasons.
Steyn also sounds ominous when he says the current Indian openers are easy to bowl to as against someone like Virender Sehwag. In 2008, the opener had blasted the South African attack to the fastest triple ton in Chennai while in 2010 he had carted them for a 174-ball 165 in Kolkata, Steyn’s figures in this match being 30-5-115-1!
“In the past that I have played here, I've bowled against guys like Sehwag,” he began. “That guy was a nightmare to bowl to. He scored 300 in Chennai. If you missed your mark by that much, he would smoke you. Whereas now I feel India's batting line-up is slightly different.
“The two opening batters, kind of let you bowl to them a little more. But when they’re both (M Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan) in form, they're really difficult guys to bowl to but not as hectic as someone like Sehwag who would blaze from ball one.”
Faf du Plessis, the other day, had credited South Africa’s success in every condition to their non-complaining nature. It’s a sentiment shared by Steyn as well. Where some of visiting bowlers look for excuses such as hot conditions, flat pitches and so on, Steyn looks at the positive aspects that help his bowling.
“The amazing thing about bowling in India, and I love bowling in India, is that the grounds are quite flat whereas in South Africa it's like the pitch is on a table and it feels like you're running uphill before you bowl,” he points out.
“Here, it's like you're on a totem track so you're running flat. You don't have that extra leg work. It almost feels like you're running downhill all day long. Even when the wickets are not offering you a lot in terms of pace and carry, the run-up is always smooth, the ball comes out of your hand nicely. So you're able to push on. It's not like in the Wanderers when you're bowling at five in the afternoon, now I've got to run up this hill to bowl. It really is difficult,” he explained.
And ask him how he would feel if the first ball he is aiming at the top of the off stump doesn’t rise above knee and the answer reflects the kind of positivity he oozes. “I am smiling man… He (batsman) might get out LBW all day long!”
Published 03 November 2015, 19:11 IST