tooextracool
International Coach
You are right, there is nothing to suggest that bowling flatter and quicker makes you a better ODI bowler. Quite the opposite in fact. But when you get smacked around all over the park, as these 2 will undoubtedly, this is inevitably what happens. Neither Smith, nor Rashid are ready to play limited overs cricket as bowlers alone. That fact in itself should suggest that they are likely to be caned. Now is it a good learning exercise to be getting caned around the park as a young leg spinner? That is really up for debate. I suppose it depends on the bowler itself, but the majority of young bowlers don't like it and dont have the ba*** to toss one up again after they have been put 10 rows back.First thing first, I really don't buy into this whole spinners become ****e by just by playing limited overs cricket,there is nothing to suggest that you need to bowl flat in limited overs cricket to be successful as a spin bowler. In fact both Rashid (in the Big Bash) and Smith have bowled really well by mixing up their lenths and pace.
The performance of Smith in the recent ODI games should also help the Aus think tank realise that at this point of Smith's career compared to his batting, his bowling in going to be more handy at the international level, so we need to stop treating him as a part-time bowler.