Joe Root Approaches Sachin Tendulkar's Test Record as Kevin Pietersen Ignites Controversy Over Today's Bowling

With Joe Root racking up runs in Test cricket and nearing Sachin Tendulkar's record that is the stuff of legend Kevin Pietersen has ignited a new debate over the quality of bowling in today's game. Following Root overtaking Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest Test run scorer in history Pietersen wrote on social media that batting today is easier compared to 20 to 25 years ago. He added that it was likely double as difficult in the past when bowlers possessed more skill pace and variety. In his opinion, this generation is not blessed with sufficient world-class bowlers who can really test batters at the top level.

Pietersen who played for England in more than 100 Test matches asserted that people should not be angry but the fact remains that batting now is much less demanding. His brazen remark came a day after Root made a sound 150 runs of 248 balls in the fourth Test against India. That match took Root past Ricky Ponting in the all-time Test run list which created even more buzz around Pietersen's remarks. While consistency and class of Root cannot be denied Pietersen is of the view that playing against bowlers in the past was a different type of struggle altogether. He supported his point by giving the name of 22 great bowlers of the past.

Names such as Wasim Akram Shoaib Akhtar Waqar Younis Muttiah Muralitharan Shane Warne Anil Kumble Glenn McGrath Shaun Pollock Brett Lee Javagal Srinath and Allan Donald were in his list. Pietersen dared his followers by inquiring whether they could name 10 contemporary bowlers who could be likened to any of these legends. He even went so far as to suggest that most of the bowlers today are missing the intimidation factor and technical excellence that made their predecessors really world-class. In his opinion, the change in quality between yesterday's and today's bowlers has eased the task for contemporary batters such as Joe Root.

The timing of Pietersen's remarks is noteworthy because they coincided with England enjoying a dominant performance in the fourth Test. Ben Stokes ended a two-year drought of centuries by posting 141 runs from 198 balls which ensured England amassed a first-innings score of 669 runs. That left India with an enormous lead of 311 runs on Day 4 of the match. The Old Trafford pitch started reflecting variable bounce, making it more difficult for Indian batsmen in the second innings. But by then the damage was already done courtesy of Stokes Root and the English batting order.

For India there were some standout performances meanwhile. Ravindra Jadeja had four wickets while Jasprit Bumrah went for over 100 in an innings for the first time in his Test career. That was a rare off day for Bumrah who is generally one of India's most consistent and dependable bowlers in red-ball cricket. Yet the larger tale that fascinated all was not the play on the pitch but Pietersen's incendiary comments outside it. His viewpoint has polarized fans and commentators alike. Some have agreed that the standards of bowling have declined over the last few years while others feel that each age has its weakness and strength.

It is true that in the modern game flat pitches bigger bats and fielding restrictions have slightly shifted the balance towards batters. Fitness and technique may have improved but the absence of enough world-class fast bowlers and mystery spinners has become more noticeable. It is players like Mitchell Starc Pat Cummins Jasprit Bumrah and Kagiso Rabada who do occasionally display brilliance but the list does not go too far beyond that. Which perhaps explains why Pietersen feels that batters are not getting the sort of unrelenting pressure that came when he played.

Root's ascent to second position on the highest Test run scorers' list is a wonderful achievement no doubt. With more than 11 thousand runs in Tests he has displayed unbelievable consistency and class under different conditions. But Pietersen feels that numbers do not reflect the complete picture. In his opinion it's also a matter of the kind of opposition and the situation under which runs are scored. His statements are not intended to discredit Root but to bring attention to the bigger question of the variation in bowling strength across generations.

The world of cricket continues to change with format, fitness technology, and style of play. But such arguments remind the fans of the ageless elegance of the game. Whether you agree with Pietersen or not it is certain that the standard of competition particularly in bowling contributes greatly to determining a player's greatness. Root's journey towards Sachin Tendulkar's record will continue to be a big story in the coming days but so too will be the debate on how cricket nowadays measures up against its golden era. As the Test match continues and as Root approaches more milestones fans will be watching closely not only for the numbers but for the context in which they are being achieved.