For long, it was believed that India can’t produce fast bowlers. Of course, for the longest time Javagal Srinath was looked at the only answer to Dennis Lillee’s, Jeff Thompson’s, and Andy Robert’s of the world, before India produced a pace battery of their own year’s later. One of the reasons for this dearth of express fast bowlers, believe it or not, was considered the widespread of vegetarianism in the country.
In fact, veteran, ex-fast bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar did believe in the theory. A couple of years back the Rawalpindi Express went on to elaborate the same point, citing the example of why Pakistan keeps producing fast bowlers, and not India. Talking on The Brett Lee podcast, Akhtar said, “The heroes we have, the food, environment and attitude. At the same time, you have people like me who are full of energy.”
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Talking about the diet, he added, “You become what you eat. We as a nation eats lots of animals and we end up being like animals. When it comes to express bowling, we run like Lions. India have quality fast bowlers but they lack aggression. That attitude ‘I am going to kill you.’ I think it is due to food and environment.”
Look at IPL 2024 Star Mayank Yadav
But why are we talking about a two-year-old interview now? Actually, it’s one of those comments, that has come to bite back Akhtar. The entire world is just mesmerised with the kind of pace that LSG youngster Mayank is generating — he is already has the most 155+ kmph balls in IPL, than any other bowler ever. That too after bowling just 48 deliveries in his career.
IPL 2024
What’s interesting is that his cricket club Sonnet has claimed, as per sources, that he’s a vegetarian too, and a devotee of Lord Krishna. So that counters Akhtar’s comments easily.
Not just that, talking about his bowling purely, he has been hitting the right lines, and lengths, which the batsmen have found difficult to deal with. What explains this better is, that he has a economy rate of 6.16. Moreover, in the two matches he played, he went on to win the POTM awards as well. While one understands that this is just the start for the youngster, but certainly a solid reply to Akhtar that India too can produced aggressive fast bowlers.
