CricViz analysis and graphics have featured heavily in The Telegraph’s build up to the upcoming Test series between India and England
Golden generation: The Indian pace bowlers who are seeking to dismantle England’s batting lineup
On Wednesday, Marcus Parekh profiled India’s golden generation of fast bowlers, using CricViz data to illustrate the potency of the star-studded attack.
Parekh highlighted Jasprit Bumrah’s accuracy, noting the fact that 43% of the balls he bowls are on a good line and length. Parekh also drew attention to the fact that Mohammed Shami has drawn a false shot 23% of the time since the start of 2018, a figure that places him below only Shannon Gabriel by that measure in that time period. When focusing on Umesh Yadav, Parekh pointed out that average amount of swing he finds (1.1°) is higher than both Bumrah and Shami, while his average speed has remained consistently around 85mph for the last three years. However, even Yadav’s movement has paled in comparison to Ishant Sharma’s record since the start of 2018. As Parekh notes in the final part of his article, the veteran of the attack can boast an average of 1.38° of swing in that time, more than any other seamer besides Jason Holder in that time.
Read Marcus Parekh’s original article here.
‘I am used to getting hit’: India’s Cheteshwar Pujara on his battling, brutal and mammoth Gabba innings
In a second preview article to appear on Wednesday, Tim Wigmore interviewed Cheteshwar Pujara after the India number three had frustrated Australia with his obduracy during the recent Test series Down Under.
Wigmore pointed out that Pujara was hit nine times by Australia’s quicks during his second innings in the final Test at Brisbane, a feature that was nothing new to India’s most belligerent batsman. In fact, as the below graphic shows, only Ross Taylor and Misbah-ul-Haq have been hit on the head or body on more occasions than Pujara since such data began being collected in 2006.
As well as wearing his war wounds when facing the fast bowlers, Wigmore points out that Pujara is dominant when facing spin, as the below graphic shows that no active Test batsman can boast a better average than him.
And in particular, Pujara is at his most dangerous against spin when he comes down the pitch. As the below graphic shows, only Mike Hussey can boast a better average when coming out of his crease against spinners.
Read Tim Wigmore’s full article here.
Virat Kohli: how Indian icon honed his technique to become world’s best batsman
On Thursday, Scyld Berry delved deep into the career of Virat Kohli, India’s returning captain.
Berry highlighted the skipper’s impressive conversion rate from fifties to hundreds, pointing out that, of players to have scored ten or more Test centuries, only Don Bradman and George Headley can boast a better conversion rate than him.
Perhaps more ominously for England, Berry also drew attention to the fact that Kohli averages in excess of 40 against every member of England’s attack he’s previously faced on home soil.
Berry then went even further into the characteristics of Kohli’s batting, demonstrating how strong he is on both sides of the wicket against both spin and pace.
And also highlighting how his low dot ball percentage makes it hard for bowlers to tie him down.
And finally, it was more bad news for England’s bowlers, in particular Jack Leach, as Berry showed that Kohli averages at least 45 against every type of bowling.
Read Scyld Berry’s full article here.