If the 2005 conditioning camp under former coach Greg Chappell saw the emergence of Ranadeb Bose, the last domestic season saw his makeover. Today, on a day when most of the Rest of India bowlers were thrashed all over the park, the lone man who stood out after Day One’s play was Bose. The satisfaction was visible on the 28-year-old’s face as he returned to the dressing room with figures of 22.1-4-88-3. Bowling on a batting paradise pitch, the Kolkata bowler relied on line and length rather than pace. He bowled around the mid 120s, as Munaf Patel hovered in the mid-130 kph range while third pacer Ishant Sharma settled in the early 130s. “I believe in sticking to the basics. I just bowled in the right areas and got wickets. Also, I rely on swing rather than on speed. All I did was make the batsmen play on the front foot. I think I have performed well with all the chances that I have got,” Bose told The Sunday Express.His long locks inspired by the legendary singer Jim Morrison, Bose’s swing was what rocked the batsmen today, as Mumbai opener Sahil Kukreja seconded: “Ranadeb was easily the best of the lot today. He bowled in the right areas and swung the ball.”Bose bowled his 22.1 overs in four spells, with his second spell being the most fruitful, giving him two wickets — opener Ajinkya Rahane and Wasim Jaffer.
