New Delhi. Six and a half feet tall height, fast speed, and such an action that even the batsman gets stunned for a few moments, when this giant looking bowler came on the field wearing the Indian jersey for the first time, not just a player but a topic of discussion was born. From stadium to tea shops, it was being talked about everywhere. People saw fear in his tall stature and a unique mysterious power in his bowling action.
When Abhay Karuvilla played his first match for India in the year 1997, Indian cricket was entering a new phase. At that time the team needed a bowler who was not only fast but could also put pressure on the batsmen with his mere presence. This player did the same thing as soon as he arrived. His height gave him extra bounce, and his unique action made it difficult for batsmen to read the ball.
Karuvila’s short career
Even though he was inexperienced in the initial days, he had a passion to prove himself. He kept getting better with every match. His balls started gaining speed as well as swing, and gradually he started becoming a reliable bowler of the team. The opposing teams also soon understood that this is not just a new player, but a big threat in the future. Kuruvilla played 10 Test and 25 ODI matches for India. In terms of statistics, he took 25 wickets in Tests and 25 wickets in ODIs. Even though these figures may not seem very big, the impact of his bowling was not limited to just wickets. His real strength was his bounce. Due to his tall height, he used to get extra bounce from the pitch, which always became a problem for the batsmen.
memorable test match
The most memorable moment of his career was seen in the Port of Spain (Trinidad) Test, where he troubled the West Indies batsmen a lot with his bounce. In that spell, he showed that if the conditions were favourable, he could challenge any strong batting line-up. His balls were not only fast but also used to surprise the batsmen with uncomfortable bounce. However, despite such a brilliant start, his international career could not last long. There were many reasons behind this. The biggest drawback was considered to be the variety and extra pace in his bowling. In an era when different types of balls and consistent pace were becoming necessary for fast bowlers, Kuruvilla lagged behind in this matter.
Future spoiled by fitness
Fitness also became a major obstacle in his career. Repeated injuries and inability to maintain his rhythm kept him from making a permanent place in the team. Apart from this, the Indian team at that time had established fast bowlers like Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, who were performing consistently. In such a situation, it was not easy for Kuruvilla to cement his place among them. Despite getting frequent opportunities, lack of consistency in taking wickets also proved to be detrimental to his career. It became difficult to maintain the trust of the selectors and gradually he was dropped from the team.
worked for cricket
Ultimately, Kuruvilla retired from international cricket relatively early. However, even after moving away from the field, his relationship with cricket did not end. He later joined the cricket administration and selection committee and continued playing his role in the game. Even today, when it comes to Indian fast bowlers, David Kuruvilla’s name is taken as a player who created fear among the batsmen with his height and bounce. Even though his career did not last long, he definitely showed that fast bowling can also have a distinct identity in Indian cricket.
