Cricket
These pacers are waiting for a chance to blaze through cricket’s best batsmen as seen in their performances during Red Bull Campus Cricket 2020.
Fast bowling is an art form in cricket that is loved by most.
Watching a player of the calibre of Kagiso Rabada – who was awarded the purple cap as the best bowler of the world’s toughest T20 league – shows why fast bowling is so incredibly difficult to master and such a fascinating craft when done right.
It can be very taxing on the body so fast bowlers are always encouraged to strengthen their muscles and focus on their fitness from a young age.
At the most recently concluded Red Bull Campus Cricket India Finals, a few young fast bowlers put their skills on display, showing that they are doing everything right and are ready to step up to the next level. Playing in a one-of-its-kind international cricket tournament like Red Bull Campus Cricket also helps them take that next step.
The tournament for college and university students has helped unearth incredibly talented players like KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Karun Nair, Manan Vohra, Anukul Roy, and others. Now, a new generation of players are hoping to use the tournament as a stepping stone to get recognition.
Here we highlight some of the best fast bowlers to emerge from the Red Bull Campus Cricket 2020 India Finals.
1. Harit Sachar (DAV College, Jalandhar)
Harit spearheaded the pace section of DAV College, Jalandhar. He claimed 10 wickets to his credit in five matches. The tall pacer from Jalandhar kept opposition batsmen on their toes with his fierce deliveries and maintained an economy of 5.6 in the tournament. He showed his class in Dav College’s very first league match in the tournament when he bagged four wickets of New LJ College, Ahmedabad, conceding just 11 runs in the process. He was adjudged player of the match for his performance.
2. Sourabh Badsara (SS Jain Subodh College, Jaipur)
Sourabh was one of the best bowlers of SS Jain Subodh College, Jaipur, alongside Ashish Indoria who was one of the best spin bowlers of the tournament. Sourabh claimed 10 wickets in five matches at an economy of 6.2 in the Red Bull Campus Cricket 2020 India Finals. Although SS Jain Subodh College finished runners-up to DAV College, Jalandhar, Sourabh brought his A-game to the final by claiming a five-wicket haul in the tournament decider.
3. Pankaj Patel (DAVV Indore)
DAVV Indore were unable to reach the final of the tournament, but Pankaj shone bright in the four matches when he had the opportunity to bowl. He scalped eight wickets in four matches at an impressive economy of 5.6; clearly the best bowler for his side. His best performance was against SS Jain Subodh College, Jaipur, in DAVV Indore’s first group match. Pankaj claimed four wickets while giving away just 20 runs in the four overs he bowled.
4. Advith Shetty (Jain University, Bengaluru)
Advith managed to play just three matches in the Red Bull Campus Cricket 2020 India Finals as Jain University, Bengaluru, were knocked out in the group stages. He managed to provide a good account of himself by picking up six wickets in the three matches at an economy of 6.51. He showed his finesse as a fast bowler when he dismissed three batsmen of DAVV Indore in Jain University’s third group match, giving away just 18 runs in 3.1 overs.
