When the cricket ball has gone bad, one of the deadliest tools fast bowlers have ever employed to plague hitters is the reverse swing. Pakistani fast bowlers in international cricket were the ones who first established the unusual approach. With this skill, they were able to pick wickets on dead runs. For bowlers, it’s not an easy task, though, as it takes a particular ability that not everyone can acquire.
Over time, the two new balls used in ODIs caused the art to fade into obscurity. In an interview, former India fast bowler Praveen Kumar discussed the subtleties of reverse swing and shockingly revealed that, in the past, players from all sides had tampered with the ball to make it work. However, he went on to say that Pakistani players were perhaps more guilty of this than other teams.
“While everyone contributes in some way, Pakistani bowlers contribute somewhat more. What I’ve heard is that. There are cameras everywhere these days. We all used to do it in the past. Additionally, everyone is aware. They would use one side to scrape it, but using that talent is also necessary. Someone has to be able to reverse-swing the ball if I scratch it and hand it to them. Praveen stated on Lallantop, “One has to realize that.
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Praveen Kumar splitting facts. pic.twitter.com/dA56zWEZ2B
— Pawan Shukla (@Shukla8175) January 7, 2024
Sarfaraz Nawaz of Pakistan is notably responsible for introducing the reverse swing technique to international cricket. The famed seam-bowling tandem of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis—regarded as the most lethal bowling partnership ever—subsequently adopted the tactic, as did former Pakistani captain Imran Khan.
The Lord’s Honors Board bears Praveen Kumar name.
Speaking of Praveen Kumar, he made his debut for the nation in an ODI against Pakistan in November 2007 and went on to represent it in six Tests, 68 ODIs, and ten Twenty20 Internationals. The 37-year-old gained notoriety in the 2008 Commonwealth Bank Tri-Series against Australia and Sri Lanka, where he took ten wickets in just four games, leading India to an unprecedented victory in Australia.
Aside from that, the bowler from Meerut has taken 27 wickets in six Test matches, including his best-ever statistics of 5/106 against England at the storied Lord’s.
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