Among the two main types of bowling styles are spin and fast bowling; the latter is all about speed, and the bowler is referred to as pacer, seamer, etc. There are other subcategories in fast bowling, such as swing and seam. Whereas swing is the art of making the ball move in the air while being delivered at high speed, seam bowling is a technique in which the ball is bowled on its seam so that it changes its direction after hitting the ground. The three types of swing bowling are inswing, outswing, and the more famous reverse swing. When the ball moves towards the body of the batter, it is referred to as inswing, while in outswing, it moves away from the batter. While using an old ball, if a bowler swings the ball opposite to his conventional direction, it is called a reverse swing. The two main types of seamers are off-cutters and leg-cutters. Cricket has witnessed many fast-bowling greats over the years; Wasim Akram of Pakistan, Glenn McGrath of Australia, Malcolm Marshall of West Indies, Dennis Lillee of Australia, Fred Trueman of England, and Shoaib Akhtar are some of the famous ones. This article is about players who showcased their brilliance in providing bullet-like speed to the ball. We will look into the Top 10 Fastest Indian Bowlers.
1. Umran Malik
This young bowling sensation who plays for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League has delivered the fastest ball ever recorded by any Indian bowler. During an IPL match against the Delhi Capitals in 2022, his ball reached the mark of 157 km/h. He is being regarded as the new pace sensation in Indian cricket. Born on 22 November 1999, this twenty-three-year-old boy is a cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir and is very good with the ball when it comes to speed.
2. Javagal Srinath
He was the fastest Indian bowler in the year when Umran Malik was born. During the 1999 World Cup, he made his ball hit the speed of 154.5 km/h. At the time, he was second to only Shoaib Akhtar when it came to providing momentum to the ball. Born on 31 August 1969, this fifty-four-year-old cricketer from Karnataka is one of the fastest bowlers India has had.
3. Irfan Pathan
We are all very familiar with this name; he is one-half of the famous allrounder brothers, the Pathan brothers, one being a batting allrounder and another a bowling allrounder. This left-arm bowler could deliver inswing as well as outswing and was accurate with his line and length; he is the only Indian player who took a hat trick against Pakistan on their soil. His fastest ball touched the mark of 153.7 km/h. Born on 27 October 1984, this thirty-eight-year-old cricketer from Gujarat was an asset to the Indian team during his career.
4. Mohammad Shami
One of the best Indian fast bowlers, he had his dream debut when he picked nine wickets on his Test debut against the West Indies in 2013 at the Eden Gardens Kolkata. This right-arm bowler is also one of the finest reverse swingers in India. His ball typically touches a speed of around 140 km/h, the fastest one being 153.3 km/h against Australia. Born on 3 September 1990, this thirty-three-year-old cricketer from Uttar Pradesh who represents Bengal in domestic cricket is one of the best go-to bowlers for any captain in challenging situations.
5. Jasprit Bumrah
Will you consider a list of fast bowlers complete without his name? Never! Jasprit Bumrah is the most reliable bowler of India since his debut; he has a treasury of variations and the ability to take wickets when required the most. With his unique bowling action, he delivered his fastest ball at 153.26 km/h against Australia in 2018. Born on 6 December 1993, this twenty-year-old cricketer from Gujarat has already made his name around the globe for his bowling ability.
6. Navdeep Saini
A player with an excellent domestic career and records, Navdeep Saini, is an emerging Indian bowler. He made his ball reach a speed of 152.8km/h while playing an IPL match for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Mumbai Indians in 2019. Born on 22 November 1992, this thirty-year-old Indian cricketer hails from Haryana and represents Delhi in Ranji Trophy.
7. Ishant Sharma
One of the best fast bowlers in Test cricket for India, Ishant Sharma, has 434 wickets in his international career. While playing against Australia on February 17, 2008, at the Adelaide Oval, his ball hit a speed of 152.6 km/h. Born on 2 September 1988, this thirty-five-year-old Indian cricketer represented Delhi in domestic cricket and took 68 wickets in just 14 first-class games.
8. Varun Aaron
Although, unfortunately, his career was clouded with injuries, he proved his abilities whenever the opportunities were there. He delivered his fastest ball at 152.5 km/h against Sri Lanka in 2014. Born on 29 October 1989, this thirty-three-year-old cricketer represented Jharkhand in domestic cricket.
9. Umesh Yadav
The highest Indian wicket-taker in the ICC World Cup 2015, Umesh Yadav, is well-known in the cricketing sphere. He delivered his fastest ball against Sri Lanka at a speed of 152.2 km/h, and frequently his ball touches 150 km/h. He was a member of the team that won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Born on 25 October 1987, this thirty-five-year-old cricketer represented Vidarbha and Central Zone in domestic cricket; his career-best performance of 7/48 was also for Vidarbha against Kerala in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy semi-final.
10. Ashish Nehra
One of the deadliest Indian bowlers, Ashish Nehra, is well known for his six-wicket haul against England in the 2003 World Cup. His fastest delivery made the speedometer touch the mark of 149.7 km/h; that too, was during the 2003 World Cup against Zimbabwe. Born 29 April 1979, this forty-four-year-old cricketer represented Delhi in domestic cricket. That’s the end of the list of the Top 10 Fastest Indian Bowlers; it mentions some of the fastest deliveries in the history of cricket showcased by the players of India.
