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Why Indian Bowlers Faltered? Irfan Pathan's Explanation: 'Executing The Length'
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India lost the first Test against England at Headingley. Irfan Pathan emphasised Indian bowlers must adjust lengths based on batsmen for success in SENA countries.
The Indian men's cricket team did not manage to take all 20 wickets in the first Test of the five-match series for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at Headingley, Leeds.
India ended up on the losing side as England batters completed a historic chase to go up 1-0 in the series.
In the first innings, Jasprit Bumrah took five wickets as Mohammed Siraj got two and Prasidh Krishna claimed three. In the second innings, Bumrah and Siraj remained wicketless as Prasish and Shardul Thakur scalped two each.
Ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham, which starts on Wednesday, July 2, Irfan Pathan opened up on the nuances of pace bowling and looked at possibly why Indian bowlers faltered to take wickets.
'When it comes to bowling, they bowl well in patches. That is one thing. Executing the length according to the batsmen, which we lacked," Irfan said during an interaction facilitated by Sony Sports.
'What was the problem is bowling to Zach Crawley and bowling to Ben Duckett who are partners. They both have different reach," he explained.
'So, first of all, you need to have adjustment between right-hand, left-hand combination. Obviously, that's a line which you need to adjust as a bowler in a same over. Suppose if I'm bowling first ball to Zach Crawley, he will change the strike to Ben Duckett and in the second ball, Ben Duckett will come to the crease."
'The similar length which Zach Crawley plays on the front foot, exactly the same length Ben Duckett is cutting. So, adjusting the particular length is very very important and that's the key for all our success in the history when you go to SENA countries because the pitches are true. You need to actually bowl that right length," he added.
Irfan said that bowling the right length has to vary depending on the batter at the crease and that it what the Indian bowlers could not do and hopes that can be improved upon.
'But bowling the right length according to the batsmen which is very important which I think we lacked in the first game. Hopefully, we will come back stronger and adjust that. And I'm saying that if you look at his wagon wheel also, Ben Duckett plays square on the offside, square on the leg side, not so much in the weak," he said.
'But at the same time, Zach Crawley takes out the big front foot trying to cover that line and swing. So, adjusting the line and the length according to the batsmen and according to that particular pitch is very important which I think will be the key going ahead as well," Irfan added.
Watch 2nd Test Between India & England on July 2nd, 3:30 PM onwards LIVE On Sony Sports Ten 1 & Sony Sports Ten 5 channels
First Published:
July 01, 2025, 22:36 IST
