Build-up to Indian Domestic Season 2009-10

[Arjun]

The lack of updates is disappointing. We haven't got any news on the UP/Baroda match, which may be rained out or the day's play abandoned due to bad light, but there's no communication. It's almost the end of the day, yet we still see lunchtime scores of some matches. For some reason, both Ganguly and Shukla are missing from the Bengal lineup.

 

[Arjun]

I think that a major difference is that cricketers from other countries are built stronger and more athletic. Whether this is natural athleticism or how much gym work is preferred, I'm not sure... and so can power the ball down at 140kph when he is in the mood. Dilhara Fernando too shows clear signs of physical strength.

On to Indian bowlers; Indians tend to have a more slight build... Ishant Sharma's rapid run up has been shown to decrease in speed over the years and this is likely due to fatigue and lack of the cardiac fitness levels of a Steyn, as well as his very slight build.

If body build was the issue, then Zaheer, Munaf, VRV Singh and to a lesser extent Irfan or Bangar or even JP Yadav would generate more pace, given their strength. Muscle power can only add a little pace, but a cleaner and smoother action can generate a lot more. A lot of these bowlers have issues with their actions, which hardly look smooth. Even Agarkar, a tiny bloke, was close to express pace in the last few years until the World Cup in WI, but at crucial events, such as the South Africa tour, the World Cup itself and the ODI series in England, he slowed down inexplicably to very average medium pace. When one or two bowlers lose their pace, there may be reasons for it, but when all the bowlers lose their pace and consequently their edge, there's a massive hole to plug. Sreesanth's cardiac fitness may be a bit tough to judge, but he's often tried to go flat out and bowl fast, but hasn't channelled his efforts neatly- he's all arms and legs all over.

Most of the genuinely fast bowlers in world cricket are not necessarily built large and muscular, but are very athletic and have very good reflexes. Brett Lee, Shane Bond, Dale Steyn, Dilhara Fernando and most West Indian pacers are relatively thin and lean, in comparison to the bulky Akhtar, Harmison or Watson. In fact, a conflicting school of thought suggests that if fast bowlers add more bulk and muscle, they end up carrying too much weight and that slows down their pace. While body build doesn't help generate much pace, it can help sustain that pace for a longer time.

Bowling actions is an interesting thing to look at...Some well informed biomechanical work would be ideal though, I think we can both agree on that.

I'd say it's a combination of the bowling action and the bowler's reflexes and fitness. As some experts suggest, the bowler's pace is determined by how fast those muscles respond and move. We find that the fastest bowlers are often good fielders. Fast bowling is essentially about power and athleticism, rather than merely skill.

On to the Indian fast bowlers. I have recently come to the conclusion that the drop in pace by Indian fast bowlers has been overestimated in recent times (there has been some, but not that much)...A few games at high speeds in SA in T20 (where bowlers tend to be much faster than otherwise, for obvious reasons) is not that remarkable.

When Munaf made his debut, he bowled at over 140k regularly, but now he struggles to get past 130k. He's a fast bowler, not an up-and-down medium pacer, so he'd benefit a lot more if he bowled faster. While Chappell is often cited as being responsible for Munaf's reduced pace, as also Prasad and possibly Dhoni, all of whom emphasise on line and length, Munaf has made no effort to bowl fast, but given a very lengthy period of reduced pace, there may have been a drop, which should be looked into. RP Singh and Sreesanth are the fittest bowlers in contention now, so they can step up in pace. Reaching the 140k mark isn't beyond them, so the key is to sustain that pace.

Irfan is the exception and a remarkable case as he is simply no longer the same bowler that he once was...Ishant's drop in pace has been a sign of fatigue, which does affect alot of fast bowlers, tbh...

Irfan started off as another 135k bowler, but during the Pakistan series in 2004, he cranked it up to the low 140ks regularly, and maintained that until the disastrous home series against Pakistan, where he was stuck in the 120k bracket, and was stuck in it for a very long time. Likewise, Ishant started off as someone seriously fast, hitting the 140k mark regularly, until the current IPL and beyond. I don't really buy the workload excuse- so many others have as much, but still deliver. Prasad's blinkered line-and-length theory may have had its effect, but when someone like Steyn, Broad, Butler or even the recently-returned Bond can bowl at serious pace in ODIs, there's no reason why Ishant can't. The management is missing a trick here, yet again.

Then look at the so-called bits and pieces players. We've discussed the massive Watson already, but the less bulky James Hopes, Moises Henriques and Andrew McDonald regularly bowl in the high 120ks and the 130ks. Even in other teams, similar players such as Styris, Oram, Razzaq, Albie Morkel and Luke Wright bowl in the 120ks and are still very useful. If the people running the Indian team can make a bowler effective even at that pace, they can get more out of their own seam-up bowlers such as Nayar, Bhatia and Shukla, rather than use their lack of pace as an excuse to keep them out.

 

[Manee]

If body build was the issue, then Zaheer, Munaf, VRV Singh and to a lesser extent Irfan or Bangar or even JP Yadav would generate more pace, given their strength. Muscle power can only add a little pace, but a cleaner and smoother action can generate a lot more.

As I said, I was not forming a dogmatic answer, I'm not sure how you didn't get that. However, the evidence is clear here too. For one, we are looking at the difference between size and strength, which is an important one. Zaheer is a strong fast bowler and he can climb up to 140kph when he wishes to fire in a quick yorker. He was quick early in his career and he can be quick these days - he would fit the category of a medium pacer who can bowl quicker, which was your initial answer. Irfan Pathan is not tremendously strong, I recall reading that he lacks core strength and it was a reason that his action was not massively stable. To me, Munaf does not look big, but he appears strong, which is probably why he can bowl quickly with no run up - however, it is clear that he lacks athleticism which, of course, must be coupled with strength. VRV Singh is a big, strong fast bowler and he has always had a good deal of speed, from what I have seen.

Of course the clean, good action is importamt, but a bowler needs strength and athleticism to possess such a thing.

A lot of these bowlers have issues with their actions, which hardly look smooth. Even Agarkar, a tiny bloke, was close to express pace in the last few years until the World Cup in WI, but at crucial events, such as the South Africa tour, the World Cup itself and the ODI series in England, he slowed down inexplicably to very average medium pace. When one or two bowlers lose their pace, there may be reasons for it, but when all the bowlers lose their pace and consequently their edge, there's a massive hole to plug.

Yes, the decrease in pace is a bit of a problem. However, someones a bowler does not find his form and is under paced - it is not a remarkable event. Indeed, if you are out of form, the action will not fire and the speed will be down, as well as accuracy.

Sreesanth's cardiac fitness may be a bit tough to judge, but he's often tried to go flat out and bowl fast, but hasn't channelled his efforts neatly- he's all arms and legs all over.

His action is pretty good. I recall reading Pont noting that Sreesanth does not fully understand his action and I'd probably agree, I could imagine that a lot of energy is lost most of the time.

Most of the genuinely fast bowlers in world cricket are not necessarily built large and muscular, but are very athletic and have very good reflexes. Brett Lee, Shane Bond, Dale Steyn, Dilhara Fernando and most West Indian pacers are relatively thin and lean, in comparison to the bulky Akhtar, Harmison or Watson. In fact, a conflicting school of thought suggests that if fast bowlers add more bulk and muscle, they end up carrying too much weight and that slows down their pace.

Again, you are acting as if I am some sort of size = speed dogmatist where you know me better and I said as much in my post. You must be strong and athletic to be a fast bowler - to say that strength = size is obviously not always true. However, to say that it is clear that a lot of the world's fast bowlers possess a stronger, more athletic build than Indians is not a quantum leap.

While body build doesn't help generate much pace, it can help sustain that pace for a longer time.I'd say it's a combination of the bowling action and the bowler's reflexes and fitness. As some experts suggest, the bowler's pace is determined by how fast those muscles respond and move. We find that the fastest bowlers are often good fielders. Fast bowling is essentially about power and athleticism, rather than merely skill.When Munaf made his debut, he bowled at over 140k regularly, but now he struggles to get past 130k.

He's a fast bowler, not an up-and-down medium pacer, so he'd benefit a lot more if he bowled faster. While Chappell is often cited as being responsible for Munaf's reduced pace, as also Prasad and possibly Dhoni, all of whom emphasise on line and length, Munaf has made no effort to bowl fast, but given a very lengthy period of reduced pace, there may have been a drop, which should be looked into.

Well, it was Chappell who I believe asked Munaf to slow down for sake of his fitness, and perhaps rightly so. Munaf's fitness was appalling at one point and he could seldom bowl without breaking down. Not sure if his slowdown has been conscious or whether the injuries have taken their toll, but it is required to prolong his spells and his career. Even on his successful debut, he often bowled at under 130kph due to sheer tiredness and fatigue - he is horrendously unfit and it prevents him from being a truly fast bowler who does not get injured every so often.

RP Singh and Sreesanth are the fittest bowlers in contention now, so they can step up in pace. Reaching the 140k mark isn't beyond them, so the key is to sustain that pace.Irfan started off as another 135k bowler, but during the Pakistan series in 2004, he cranked it up to the low 140ks regularly, and maintained that until the disastrous home series against Pakistan, where he was stuck in the 120k bracket, and was stuck in it for a very long time. Likewise, Ishant started off as someone seriously fast, hitting the 140k mark regularly, until the current IPL and beyond. I don't really buy the workload excuse- so many others have as much, but still deliver. Prasad's blinkered line-and-length theory may have had its effect, but when someone like Steyn, Broad, Butler or even the recently-returned Bond can bowl at serious pace in ODIs, there's no reason why Ishant can't. The management is missing a trick here, yet again.

It is hard to say. People are keen to criticise Prasad and think that just because he was a slow medium pacer, he'd want everyone to be like that but I think that is too much of an assumption to make. To me, I think it is clear that Ishant is simply not running in or bowling with the same velocity that he once had. He appears to be jogging in rather than sprinting in, a key sign of fatigue or adaptation to the strenuous schedule. Fatigue to bowlers who charge in is not uncommon. Steyn recently said in the media that he is hitting 150kph in practice which he has not done in a while and that is simply due to the fact that it is hard to be consistently fast when you are sprinting in. Broad is built like the perfect fast bowler, no arguments there, he has strength, he is tall with long limbs and he is athletic. The action is pretty much ideal too, you can just see how the muscles stretch in perfect sequence to have the ball fly out of the hand. Bond has clearly slowed down for injuries and seldom goes over 145kph these days and I cannot remember the last time that Bulter went over 140kph consistently so not sure about those two.

Then look at the so-called bits and pieces players. We've discussed the massive Watson already, but the less bulky James Hopes, Moises Henriques and Andrew McDonald regularly bowl in the high 120ks and the 130ks. Even in other teams, similar players such as Styris, Oram, Razzaq, Albie Morkel and Luke Wright bowl in the 120ks and are still very useful. If the people running the Indian team can make a bowler effective even at that pace, they can get more out of their own seam-up bowlers such as Nayar, Bhatia and Shukla, rather than use their lack of pace as an excuse to keep them out.

Ooo, not sure about that. Hopes is a 130kph bowler and a front line seamer. Henriques can bowl at 135kph with the keeper standing back. Andrew McDonald is not too slow either, mainly at 120-125kph and is quite a skillful bowler. Luke Wright can bowl up to 140kph as can Albie Morkel. Razzaq is a well versed veteran who knows where to bowl and so can deal with reduced pace and Oram has the height which makes up for lack of pace. Bhatia is sub-120kph and simply not up to international speed, which has a pretty much minimum of 120kph lest you be an extremely canny bowler like Ganguly and even he rarely bowled. Shukla has good pace and nothing stops him from playing at international level, imo. Nayar just about has pace to be a bits and pieces bowler, but I doubt whether he has the skill, His captains clearly do not trust him to bowl all the time, for example, as he has good averages but just over 2 wickets per FC game and under 1 per OD. He is perhaps only used when conditions suit.

 

[Furball]

1. West Zone- Mumbai, Baroda, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Saurashtra
2. South Zone- Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Hyderabad, Andhra, Kerala, Goa
3. North Zone- Delhi, Punjab, HP, Haryana, J&K, Services
4. East Zone- Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Assam, Tripura
5. Central Zone- Railways, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Vidarbha

Other associations are not recognised, so their players vie for selections in the closest recognised centres.

Much appreciated, thanks.

 

[Arjun]

As I said, I was not forming a dogmatic answer, I'm not sure how you didn't get that...

There seems to be a miscommunication here, so I guess I'll have to clear that. To sum it up-

Body build vs athleticism and action: We've (more or less) understood each other's points here, but that needs to be put into practice. Someone of the body build of an Agarkar or Kulkarni has virtually no chance as a specialist pacer. Likewise, you're not getting much out of a geriatric like Munaf. They need to pick bowlers who are decently built, possess good athleticism and work on the actions of all the bowlers to freeze an action that is optimal. We know what's needed, so the people in power need to put it in action. As for the slight body build of the Indians. there's no shortage of bowlers who are of an adequate size, so they have options to work with- no point asking for the moon.

Indian pacers: They're a talented lot, often maligned needlessly. Some of them add a lot of value to their places in the team, and should be kept for that reason. They can work on what their bowling lacks, as they're not significantly bad, and they should be assured of their places for a long term. I don't approve of dropping Ishant at all, and I feel some others should get a recall when they're doing well. That's what they need for improved performances.

Bits and pieces players: Other teams can get so much out of their players, so why can't India? What's stopping them? It's a far better option (at least in ODIs) to have a bits and pieces bowlers rather than non-bowlers (as the Indians do now) and suffer a lot of collateral damage. They should pick the best for the role and stick to them.

 

[Arjun]

Here's what happened yesterday.

There is a lot of action at the game at Ghaziabad- Baroda were all out for 234, and couldn't prevent UP from pinching a tiny 4-run lead. Munaf Patel led the charge with four wickets, while Irfan took two for not too many, in addition to his 50. It was a bad match for Yusuf, as he took one wicket for over 50 and was out for zero. The two alleged chuckers are out of action again, even as new names crop up in the suspect list.

The Mumbai/HP game has reached an interesting stage. Mumbai bundled out HP for 246 after their abysmal first innings performance of 164. Nayar, for some reason, is plagued with a no-ball problem, and has sent down eight in his eight overs! He's had a bad match all round. That said, Vik Malik, the frontline bowler for HP, seems to send down no-balls with amazing regularity. It's a surprise he's anywhere near national selection, and wouldn't make a zonal team had it not been for absence of key bowlers. Strangely, Agarkar scored a rapid 70 in addition to his 45- not bad for someone who had completely given up as a lower-order batsman.

The Karnataka-Bengal match isn't in such an interesting position, but still worth a watch. The Bengal bowlers Bose and Dinda did well to get a few wickets, but not enough as Karnataka posted 375 for six at tea, and look strong. Bengal were all out for 324, with young Deba Roy scoring a century. They'll miss LR Shukla here, though they have a full bowling attack.

 

[Arjun]

This is what happened in the Super League and the Plate League. It's disappointing to see Baroda settle for yet another draw, as they're stuck in the middle of the table. That group is a bit of a slugfest, with intense competition between Baroda, UP, Karnataka and Bengal, with spoilers from Saurashtra and Maharashtra. While Maharashtra are relegation contenders, Saurashtra may just ease ahead on a flat deck. The number of draws here is disappointing, as it gives the impression that teams are vying only for a first-innings lead, rather than an outright win. It is time that first-innings lead rule is wiped out, or rendered useless with far more points (five, plus a bonus if applicable) given to an outright win, and both teams getting at least a point (leading getting two) for a draw. When crucial events are decided by such a rule, there is a flaw.

Elsewhere, it was expected- TN crushed Punjab, while Mumbai bounced back from a dreadful start to defeat HP by 83 runs. Agarkar's ton notwithstanding, Iqbal Abdulla, a left-arm spinner, did the star turn as an all-rounder, taking six wickets and also scoring a 50 in the second innings in addition to a chunky one in the first. It's easily Mumbai and TN here making the next stage. In eighteen matches so far, there have been only five wins. Everyone's content to play out a draw.

 

[Sunil Mathew]

For some one scouting for new talents, i am sad to say there has been very few and hardly inspiring performers. However my review after the just concluded third round are as follows:

Best Batsmen on view:

1. Murali Vijay : The most consistent and quality run getter for the last three seasons along with Badrinath. For consistency no other domestic player comes anywhere near to him. But it is the way he makes those runs that sets him apart from other domestic contenders for the batting spot in the Indian team. Remember the composed and assured way he handled himself on test debut against Aussies? A pity that there is no vacancy open in the Indian test side at the moment. Vijay for one dayers ? definitely worth a try.

Plus point : Easy ways at the crease, so pleasing on the eye and an uncomplicated player. Could be groomed for both the opening and one down slot.

Shikar Dhawan :
This season should be the break through one for him. Everybody knows he is hugely talented. But the lack of ability in converting those 30's and 40's had been the deterrent so far. But this season he seems to have added a steely nature to his game. Believe me this guy is no a flat track bully. just watch his ways at the crease he has so much time to play the ball and can play all around the wicket. A superb fielder too this lad. Always felt that if he had been given the breakthrough at the international level a little earlier, would have matured into a superb player by now.

Plus point : Possess a solid technique against the moving ball, unlike the flimsy ones of suresh raina and yuvraj etc.

Cheteswar pujara :

He is back with a bang after scoring a double hundred on his return from a long injury layoff. But wait a minute. It seems the wicket was yet another disgracefully flat and dead one. To me he still remains a Flat track bully. Because on close observation of his records, he has not played a significant innings on a sporting wicket(not his fault that there is hardly any sporting wickets around in the domestic circuit). Right from his junior days you can see a pattern (LBW/Caught behind/Bowled) in his dismissals while playing on sporting tracks. Also, It has been of no help to him that the wicket at Rajkot, his home ground has been one of the flattest tracks in india over the years. Let him prove me wrong in the long run.

Plus point:
Solid temperament to play the long innings when the situation is ideal.

Aurn kartik :

This lad from Tamil Nadu as i have mentioned in one of my earlier posts has loads of natural talent. this season too he has made a good start. The only problem has been the inability to translate those attractive and stroke filled starts/ fifties into something meaningful. Just watch this guy bat and you will know why i am raving about him. He has no fear whatsoever (shades of one VS) at the crease. Attack is mantra and allied with a decent technique this guy should go far if only he could rein in his instincts a shade. Under WV Raman (an under rated coach with superb man management credentials) he would have no problem in that respect i believe.



Fringe & new batsmen on view:

Sourabh Tiwary of Jarkhand: He is striking it rich this season. two centuries already and a great deal of consistency. Don't know exactly the nature of wickets and bowling attacks that he has faced this season. But he is a talented batsmen to keep our eye on. Whenever given a chance in the List A matches he has done something of note.

KB Pawan of Karnataka : He is solid opening batsman with good technique whom Dravid rates very highly. Keep an eye on him.

Rohan Banerjee of Bengal:
This young opening bat has made an impression with a superb century against a quality Karnataka attack on a sporting track. One to keep track of.

BOWLING PERFORMANCE

Hardly anything spectacular or eye catching so far.

A tale of two very young exciting left arm spinners

This season might provide a glimpse into the future of indian spin bowling with the arrival of two young leftarm spinners Harmeet singh 16 of Mumbai and Aushik srinivas 17 of Tamil nadu. both are immensely gifted with natural talent which has made heads turn in their respective local circuits which has also helped them to be fast tracked into the state sides, even before playing proper age group cricket.

Harmeet singh 16 year old Left arm spinner of Mumbai.

This talented left arm spinner was fast tracked from under 19's into the Mumbai squad for their last match due to the uninspiring show of iqbal abdullah and absence of powar. He did not disappoint at all by capturing 6 wickets and most of them at the key stages of the match to upstage Himachal pradesh. This is what Makarand Waingankar the noted cricket scribe and a keen domestic talent observer wrote about him "Sixteen-year-old left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh, who was picked by the Mumbai selectors for the Ranji Trophy, was the best of the spinners. With a smooth run-up and lovely well balanced action, he has the potential to succeed at the highest level if he is left to himself."

Aushik Srinivas:
Spotted and groomed by WV Raman, this guy has already made huge impression in all the three matches that he has played so far. Interestingly TN team management has taken great care to utilize him sparingly and not to over bowl him even if the match situation demanded. So far he has been used as the strike spin bowler while ashwin has been adept at the stock spin bowlers role. This has been a great move indeed keeping in mind the tender age of the bowler and being a spin bowler as a single bad match could spell doom to a blooming talent. We have lots of examples in front of us like Sivarakakrishnan, Maninder singh etc.


Pace bowling :

A Mithun : Has not sustained his first match strike rate. but has chipped in adequately in the last two matches. Karnataka has spotted yet another pacer in Sresanth Aravind a left arm medium pacer with potential and he has been their stand out bowler in the last two matches with the crucial ability to take key wickets.

Abu nachim ahmed ; Has been steadily taking wickets nothing spectacular so far.

RP Singh : Still stuck in mediocrity



ALL ROUNDER STATUS:

Irfan Pathan:

Nice to see him making runs and take wickets: Would like to see him bowling at close quarters as It would be interesting to see with what action he is bowling at present. I have my doubts about the effectiveness of his action with which we saw him recently when playing for India. That hotch potch action looked totally bereft of either pace or swing potential and he looked ungainly at the bowling crease. It would be interesting to see if he has brought in any variations/modifications etc to his bowling action or whether he has gone back to original action which was smooth and more productive. Hope he comes out with solid results as there is no need to say that his fortunes has immense bearing on the fortunes of the Indian team as well.


Ajit Agarkar:

The forgotten man of Indian cricket. Well this guy is back in the limelight again with some solid performances. It would be easy for doomsayers to trash his performances in this years ranji trophy matches. But there has been some significant pointers to his performances that should not go unnoticed. Right from the Irani trophy match this season (his bowling was good as anybody in that match) his batting has been most consistent, in fact more consistent than his top order colleagues and that includes rohit sharma and just now he has rounded of with a century against HP and that too a crucial and match winning one. His batting seems to have come of age with more consistency shown. The potential was always there but the mind was not totally there as far a his batting was concerned but now it seems to be changing for good. As a bowler his image and deeds has been enigmatic to the full. One day really good and next day real trash. This season however there has been a marked improvement in that respect too. The results so far has been solid if not spectacular and in the case of agarkar that itself is an achievement. If he moves ahead like this i still have some hopes pinned on this man as he is still young to play international cricket. one solid season and who knows he might be back in the one day scheme of things where there are holes one two many to be filled as far as the Indian team is concerned.

 

[Manee]

Pace bowling :

A Mithun : Has not sustained his first match strike rate. but has chipped in adequately in the last two matches. Karnataka has spotted yet another pacer in Sresanth Aravind a left arm medium pacer with potential and he has been their stand out bowler in the last two matches with the crucial ability to take key wickets.

Have you seen Sreesanth Aravind bowl?

It is disappointing that Mithun has faded in his past couple of games, but I hope he can bounce back strongly, as he seems like a serious talent.

Abu nachim ahmed ; Has been steadily taking wickets nothing spectacular so far.

I saw him bowl in the ICL, he is definitely a massive talent, he bowls at 135kph and gets considerable outswing. It is a shame to see him in the Plate League as his performances will always be taken with a pinch of salt.

RP Singh : Still stuck in mediocrity

Yes, I think his Test career could be over unless he strings another good season together. He really seems lost on flat pitches, which is a shame, because he can be very useful when the ball moves, as he showed in England and Australia.

ALL ROUNDER STATUS:

Irfan Pathan:

Nice to see him making runs and take wickets: Would like to see him bowling at close quarters as It would be interesting to see with what action he is bowling at present. I have my doubts about the effectiveness of his action with which we saw him recently when playing for India. That hotch potch action looked totally bereft of either pace or swing potential and he looked ungainly at the bowling crease. It would be interesting to see if he has brought in any variations/modifications etc to his bowling action or whether he has gone back to original action which was smooth and more productive. Hope he comes out with solid results as there is no need to say that his fortunes has immense bearing on the fortunes of the Indian team as well.

I doubt that he'll have re-remodelled his bowling action back to the original - it just doesn't seem like something he'd be likely to do. It is a shame, because I agree that his new style seems to be very flat and does not seem to get much swing at all. Perhaps the media were far too quick to jump on Pathan and demand that he should change his action, because even at the reduced pace he was at in 2006 and 2007, that hoop swing that he had made him a dangerous bowler. He simply is not as dangerous these days.

Ajit Agarkar:

The forgotten man of Indian cricket. Well this guy is back in the limelight again with some solid performances. It would be easy for doomsayers to trash his performances in this years ranji trophy matches. But there has been some significant pointers to his performances that should not go unnoticed. Right from the Irani trophy match this season (his bowling was good as anybody in that match) his batting has been most consistent, in fact more consistent than his top order colleagues and that includes rohit sharma and just now he has rounded of with a century against HP and that too a crucial and match winning one. His batting seems to have come of age with more consistency shown. The potential was always there but the mind was not totally there as far a his batting was concerned but now it seems to be changing for good. As a bowler his image and deeds has been enigmatic to the full. One day really good and next day real trash. This season however there has been a marked improvement in that respect too. The results so far has been solid if not spectacular and in the case of agarkar that itself is an achievement. If he moves ahead like this i still have some hopes pinned on this man as he is still young to play international cricket. one solid season and who knows he might be back in the one day scheme of things where there are holes one two many to be filled as far as the Indian team is concerned.

I'd like to see him in the OD team too, as we lack a competant OD pace bowler to support Zaheer Khan, who is often injured, himself. However, the FC wickets have dried up for him, which is a bit of a shame and he did not appear in the Challenger Trophy, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Arjun]

For some one scouting for new talents, i am sad to say there has been very few and hardly inspiring performers. However my review after the just concluded third round are as follows:

That's not such a big problem, as long as the frontline players are established and there is one line of reserves. If you keep rotating the team and field at least 33 players in a period of four years, there won't be any stability, and consequently, no results. Too many selection changes have weakened the Indian team, possibly more than the injuries had their toll on the touring Aussies. Rather than scout for new talent, it's a better idea to monitor the ones discovered last time and follow up on their progress. The likes of Arun Karthik, Saurabh Tiwary, Harmeet Singh (Mumbai), Iqbal Abdulla and Mithun are too new to be fast-tracked into the main team, and should spend some time in India A and development teams. On the other hand, it's good to see the likes of Dhawan, Pujara Vijay and Rahane (not so much Parthiv leading the charts) do well, but some others, notably Rohit Sharma and RP Singh, have fallen away significantly.

We'd like both the Pathans to return, particularly in limited-overs cricket, but their chances of a recall and how they do once they're back will depend on how well Baroda does here. They're very talented players, but their team isn't doing too well. These two can help their team a great deal, ageing stalwarts and raw youngsters (and senior bowlers called for throwing) notwithstanding. Their statistics so far (save Yusuf's extravagant bowling average) look good, but not outstanding, and their team is fourth in the table. Likewise, RP Singh should be in contention in ODIs, as he's one of the few seamers who can also field well (ahem, Munaf, ahem, Nehra, you too Praveen).

Let's just forget about Agarkar- the team hsa gained almost nothing from his presence in the last few years, and it's been a sequence- dropped from the national team, performs well in a game or two for his team, then gets inexplicably recalled, then does well in his comeback game, then flops again when needed most and there goes the trophy. Right now, any beneficiary of an immediate recall on domestic performance should be one of the Pathans. The selectors should also look at experienced players in the league, rather than keep chasing youngsters.

 

[Sunil Mathew]

Here is a good review of the ranji season so far by the noted columnist G viswanath


Workhorses strike it rich

G. Viswanath

— PHOTO: PTI

Vinay Kumar.

Mumbai: They are the workhorses. They keep their nose to the grindstone not showing a semblance of lack of spirit.

Once again they have led their respective side’s bowling department in an exemplary manner. Karnataka’s Vinay Kumar, Himachal Pradesh’s Vikramjit Singh Malik and Bengal’s Ranadeb Bose deserve accolades for carrying out their duties efficiently with the new ball in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.

Almost at the halfway stage of the league, these three have taken the top three positions in the most wickets category.

It’s been a back breaking endeavour for the three. The pitches so far have been far from helpful. Vinay Kumar (25), Malik (26) and Bose (30) have all sent down in excess of 100 overs in three matches for returns of 19 wickets at 18.63, 17 at 15.47 and 15 at 23.26, respectively.

There is a rookie fast bowler in Karnataka’s Abhimanyu Mithun. After a splendid debut against Uttar Pradesh at Meerut, when he bagged 11 wickets including a hat-trick, his deliveries have rolled off the bat to the lines in two subsequent matches.

Clearly the 20-year-old is in the nascent stage of his career, but he has impressed many by aiming to bowl fast and consistently at speeds higher than 140 kmph. Mithun too has 15 scalps at 30.80.
Immense gains

Karnataka and Bengal have gained immensely by the performance of Vinay Kumar, Mithun and Bose. Currently they occupy the top two positions in the table with 11 and 7 points, while Himachal Pradesh, in spite of Malik’s crafty exhibition is placed fourth behind Tamil Nadu, Mumbai and Gujarat.

Malik rocked Mumbai at the Bandra-Kurla Complex ground with a six for 33 effort, but his side lost on the fourth day by 85 runs.

It’s the sheer experience of bowling on assorted and generally flat Indian pitches and knowing their skill that’s made Vinay Kumar, Malik and Bose look devastating at least on one occasion in the three outings so far.

Vinay Kumar has 168 wickets in 48 first class matches, Malik, 173 in 42 and Bose 285 in 76. Their teams will largely depend on them as the league enters the second half before the knockout. The unfortunate aspect though is that they may never come close to being discussed in the selection committee rooms when the Indian team is picked.

While the experienced seamers have excelled so far, Parthiv Patel continues to score runs. Gujarat’s innings stands or falls on Patel’s performance. He has made the burden of captaincy look light, and as a wicketkeeper he has not raised his hands up while appealing. Having been punished last season under a Level 2 offence that runs through a 12-month period, he has been careful.
Runs amassed

The 24-year-old has amassed 430 runs in four innings with two centuries and as many half-centuries. Tamil Nadu’s Dinesh Karthik has 218 from three innings with one century and a half century. It’s good to see both remaining focussed.

Opener Murali Vijay too has been among the runs and so is the case with Delhi’s Shikhar Dhawan.

And last week two more players made headlines; Ajit Agarkar scored a remarkable first century for Mumbai in the second innings against Himachal Pradesh.

Cheteshwar Pujara, having repaired his left knee following an injury he suffered while at practice for Kolkata Knight Riders in South Africa, pounded the Maharashtra bowlers for a double century in his first appearance with the bat in six months.

The fourth round league matches begin on Nov. 24; an interesting stage when the top placed teams will attempt to consolidate and a handful try to grab the big points and catch up with the leaders.

 

[Arjun]

Here are links to some articles- changes in the Punjab Ranji team, and another that covers a few problems with and around the Bengal team. The question is, why was LR Shukla missing from the third round?

 

[Arjun]

Taken from yesterday's Hindustan Times- Rich in cash, but poor in Ranji management.

This is a very well-written article, and has highlighted a whole lot of problems with the way the event has been managed. They've highlighted the lack of basic amenities, even at Eden Gardens. The choice of locations is also a problem, especially when fans are more interested in domestic cricket these days. We find games played in high-security areas like BKC, exclusive, private places like Roshanara and also cantonment area grounds like Palam. The controversy about media kicked out with police pressure at Roshanara is well-known.

The choice of games telecasted by NEO is laughable- boring games involving teams like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Saurashtra, played on belters, will draw more yawns than interest. Exciting games such as the one between TN and Punjab (if you call TN's domination of Punjab exciting), the neck-and-neck result game between Mumbai and HP, and the equally competitive non-result game between Baroda and UP, were left out, in favour of a boring, sedative game.

And games on weekdays? No wonder the grounds are almost empty.

 

[Arjun]

Why, oh why, oh why? Neo Sports Green has chosen to telecast another boring match- this time, it is Hyderabad vs Orissa. Again, it's running through the weekdays, like the rest of the matches.

 

[Manee]

R Vinay Kumar has 4/24, at the moment - get him in that Test team!

 

[Arjun]

Laxmiratan Shukla missed the last match and then this one due to a hamstring injury. Manoj Tiwary was appointed captain in his place.

This has, however, causd some unrest in the Bengal team. Deep the Drop wanted to be captain, and had Jagguda's backing. That was, however, not received well by the players, who rallied behind Manoj Tiwary, who was eventually appointed captain. Now Deep is sulking, making public his lack of enjoyment in playing for Bengal.

 

[Arjun]

R Vinay Kumar has 4/24, at the moment - get him in that Test team!

No more new pacers, please! They've tried too many players in each role in the past few years, and the fewer they have, the better.

The Indian selectors need to freeze on a core group and stick to them, although they don't seem to be keen on it. Picking the likes of Vinay Kumar on the back of three matches isn't productive at all. He'll just end up as another Indian medium-pacer picked on the back of few domestic performances, only to lose his place because he was found wanting when needed most. He offers nothing to the team, except for some lower-order runs.

 

[Manee]

No more new pacers, please! They've tried too many players in each role in the past few years, and the fewer they have, the better.

The Indian selectors need to freeze on a core group and stick to them, although they don't seem to be keen on it. Picking the likes of Vinay Kumar on the back of three matches isn't productive at all. He'll just end up as another Indian medium-pacer picked on the back of few domestic performances, only to lose his place because he was found wanting when needed most. He offers nothing to the team, except for some lower-order runs.

Of course, I was semi-in-jest. However, Vinay would not be picked on the back of three matches (I am aware that the end of this season is the minimum time) - he has been a consistent domestic performer. He has taken over 20 wickets in each of his 5 seasons before this, all at a rate of 30.75 or less. It is the RP Singhs who are picked off one year; the Munaf Patels who are consistently injured or the Sreesanth who has never played well at First Class level. He is a good option for the Test team, certainly far superior to RP Singh and Sreesanth, who have been in terrible First Class form. I'd have had Munaf Patel in, if Ishant were to be dropped (which I disagree with, btw) but if you chose not to go with Munaf Patel, R Vinay would be my next option, especially if he continues along the same form, this year.

 

[Arjun]

Of course, I was semi-in-jest. However, Vinay would not be picked on the back of three matches (I am aware that the end of this season is the minimum time) - he has been a consistent domestic performer. He has taken over 20 wickets in each of his 5 seasons before this, all at a rate of 30.75 or less. It is the RP Singhs who are picked off one year; the Munaf Patels who are consistently injured or the Sreesanth who has never played well at First Class level. He is a good option for the Test team, certainly far superior to RP Singh and Sreesanth, who have been in terrible First Class form. I'd have had Munaf Patel in, if Ishant were to be dropped (which I disagree with, btw) but if you chose not to go with Munaf Patel, R Vinay would be my next option, especially if he continues along the same form, this year.

What value does Vinay add to the team? He may be getting the wickets, but he's got no pace, no bounce, no power on flat decks, and is way behind the Indian frontline pacers and some reserves. His consistency is also a bit questionable, as in this season, he's done well against a weakened Bengal (they miss their stars like crazy) and relegation-threatened Maharashtra. From what we have seen in the IPL, he's been found out against top batsmen, and on flat decks. While good performances are no doubt a reason for someone to make the grade, you also have to look at what sets him apart and how he can contribute to the team. At best, he can get you a burst of lower-order runs, which will add up.

We have read a lot about Gagandeep, Paul and Bose, all of whom have fantastic domestic records. Yet, none of them have had a Test or ODI cap between them. They don't add anything to their places in the team. They're only medium-pace and depend a lot on the pitch, the time of the day and the freshness of the ball. Paul is only an up-and-down seam-up bowler. Bose is a lot more aggressive, but not too fast. Gagandeep is slow, not very tall and muscular, and is the only good fielder among these three- the others are quite dire. Paul is a workhorse who will keep on sending down overs. Bose doesn't overstep. At all. But they don't add much. That's why we find greenhorns like Dinda, Gony and VRV Singh making the grade ahead of them, even though they're not that great.

Let's see how he performs with India A and Board XI. If he can finish a few seasons with good figures, that should see him on the India bench soon.

 

[Manee]

What value does Vinay add to the team? He may be getting the wickets, but he's got no pace, no bounce, no power on flat decks, and is way behind the Indian frontline pacers and some reserves. His consistency is also a bit questionable, as in this season, he's done well against a weakened Bengal (they miss their stars like crazy) and relegation-threatened Maharashtra.

He has enough pace, he clocked 140kph plenty of times during the IPL. Moreover, you cannot question his consistency when he has been performing year in, year out, in the Super League.

From what we have seen in the IPL, he's been found out against top batsmen, and on flat decks. While good performances are no doubt a reason for someone to make the grade, you also have to look at what sets him apart and how he can contribute to the team. At best, he can get you a burst of lower-order runs, which will add up.

T20 means nothing when talking about Test cricket. Moreover, his performances for the Royal Challengers have been far from shabby with 17 wickets at 30.17 with an economy rate of 8.29. Compare that, to fellow Bangalore Royal Challengers bowler Praveen Kumar who has 28 wickets at 30.35 with an economy of 7.99, very similar stats.

We have read a lot about Gagandeep, Paul and Bose, all of whom have fantastic domestic records. Yet, none of them have had a Test or ODI cap between them. They don't add anything to their places in the team. They're only medium-pace and depend a lot on the pitch, the time of the day and the freshness of the ball. Paul is only an up-and-down seam-up bowler. Bose is a lot more aggressive, but not too fast. Gagandeep is slow, not very tall and muscular, and is the only good fielder among these three- the others are quite dire. Paul is a workhorse who will keep on sending down overs. Bose doesn't overstep. At all. But they don't add much.

The fact that they do not add much is not the reason, though - their lack of pace has been the reason they have not been chosen at international level. From what I have seen, Bose and Gagandeep are 120kph bowlers and this will never succeed at Test level. R Vinay Kumar bowls at a minimum speed of 130kph and hits the deck hard.

Let's see how he performs with India A and Board XI. If he can finish a few seasons with good figures, that should see him on the India bench soon.

But as I mentioned before, he has had several solid seasons.

"He has taken over 20 wickets in each of his 5 seasons before this, all at a rate of 30.75 or less"