Indian bowlers

[Pratters]

How do you rate each one of them and what do you think the future holds for them?

 

[Arjun]

My, oh, my, don't we just love discussing about Indian bowlers?

Counting down to an explosion on CC– 11...10...9...8...7...

 

[adharcric]

6...5...silentstriker abuses "pace" attack...1...

 

[deeps]

Sreesanth - Gun, will succeed
Patel - Don't know... can go either way
RP Singh - lots of potential, should succeed.
Pathan - Handy bowler, minnow basher. Handy batsman too.
Harbajan and Kumble are champs

Sreesanth : Has good pace and good control. A very very good attitude for a fast bowler, and seems to be a real thinker. Isn't just an athlete/cricketer he is also very intelligent, so will help him a lot. Has taken key wickets in his brief career so far. Has been a tad expensive, but has had ALOT of catches dropped early off his bowling. Economy does seem to be improving. Test match career looking very good at this stage, one day spot not cemented but should be soon if he continues.

Munaf Patel : I haven't seen much of him, though he seems decent from what i've seen. I think however people are getting carried away with his pace and bounce at this stage, although he has bowled some very good spells. Im' not sure how long he will be around for.

RP Singh: Very raw, but highly talented fast bowler. If his mindset is right he will become very very good. However as with a lot of the Indian quicks, i fear he may be part of the rotating door policy which has led to the demise of many including Zaheer Khan who i believe is vastly talented.

Pathan: seems very down on confidence, i never really rated his bowling too muhc, but he did surprise early on. I don't think he will ever be a frontline bowler, but could be handy first or second change due to his batting.

Agarkar: Dangerous, but erratic. Certainly has improved, but for how long remains to be seen.

 

[adharcric]

Munaf and Sreesanth will go a long way. Both have pace, control and intelligence; both are hard-working but Sreesanth is a natural athlete unlike Munaf. RP Singh will be a very good change bowler but needs refinement. Pathan could become a great ODI bowler/all-rounder but will be bits-and-pieces in test matches unless he improves consistency and old-ball skills. Kumble is a legend. Harbhajan is world-class and will become even better after he becomes the strike bowler and Kumble retires. VRV Singh has Harmison-esque qualities, could be a handful with some development but not quite at the Sreesanth/Munaf level as he doesn't swing it much.
Agarkar will play the role of mature, economical bowler in the ODI team for 2-3 more years perhaps. Zaheer could make the test side on seaming tracks where only one spinner plays. Nehra can still be a danger in one-day cricket as a change bowler but he'll have a tough time making it back. Balaji's probably done.

 

[Goughy]

My thoughts from another thread

http://forum.cricketweb.net/showpost.php?p=841721&postcount=50

One thing I would add is that people should hope for and expect Gough/Caddick like careers rather than Wasim/Waqar types.

There should not be too much unreasonable expectations put on them.

 

[Pratters]

My thoughts from another thread

http://forum.cricketweb.net/showpost.php?p=841721&postcount=50

One thing I would add is that people should hope for and expect Gough/Caddick like careers rather than Wasim/Waqar types.

There should not be too much unreasonable expectations put on them.

Good analysis Goughy.

I need to see more of the others to form a better opinion. Munaf Patel - I am very impressed with. Not many Indian seamers get the bounce he can extract from an awkward length.

 

[Arjun]

Let's look at each bowler, from four points, the way Deano would. Starting with IRFAN PATHAN:

Strengths:

• Can swing the ball a lot when it's fresh and new.
• Possesses variations in his bowling, and not afraid to bowl the odd bouncer.
• The inswinging yorker can get more than a few key wickets.
• Early in his career, he's shown a lot of potential, often getting key batsmen such as Steve Waugh, Hayden, Gilchrist and Ponting in his debut series. He's also done rather well against Pakistan in the series that followed.
• His batting can allow for an extra bowler, and his fielding is also a big plus.
• He's been a leading ODI bowler for India, picking up wickets very regularly.
• Not afraid to attack.
• Age is on his side, so is body build.

Weaknesses:

• Absolutely hopeless when the ball is old.
• Struggles when he's got to do the bulk of the bowling, which often happens when the team plays four bowlers.
• Not much success agaisnt top teams, especially in Tests.
• Lost a lot of pace early in 2005, and with it, his bite.
• Often a weak link in the lineup when out of form.

Opportunities:

• More experienced and accomplished than the rest of the pacers picked these days, so he'll get more chances.
• He's still their top ODI seamer, so they can't discard him from ODI's so easily.
• A fifth bowler will reduce the bowling load on him a lot.

Threats:

• The revolving-door policy of the team management for seamers, as also the tendency to step backwards, will have him out of the team sooner than later.
• Team plans to have him bowlign first-change or second-change will weaken him.
• Bad balls will get punished by aggressive batsmen such as Gilchrist and Gayle.

 

[silentstriker]

HAHA, I can't believe you made a SWOT chart.

I will post my thoughts when I get to work. I'm sure you all will be shocked (no you won't).

 

[nightprowler10]

I will post my thoughts when I get to work.

Working hard?

 

[silentstriker]

Working hard?

Or hardly working?

 

[Arjun]

Now, SREESANTH seems to be a fan favourite.

Strengths:

• Extra pace. Not frightening, but effective when used well.
• The occasional outswinger can surprise the batsman.
• So can the occasional bouncer. He makes the batsman play.
• He bowls for wickets, and takes a lot of risks.
• Age is on his side.
• As pointed out, he's had access to good coaching.
• He's aggressive, yet a thinking bowler.
• A natural athlete as mentioned, he can save more than a few runs on the field.
• He's formed a good combination with Irfan, then Munaf (sadly, the door has started revolving again) and then Agarkar, then second-change.

Weaknesses:

• Height is not on his side, though he's reasonably tall.
• Will go for extra runs. Economy doesn't seem an issue for him.
• Still inexperienced.

Opportunities:

• Selectors' policy of going for youth and pace will give him lots of chances.
• Opening batsmen have had a problem negotiating the odd high balls.
• With an experienced partner, he can improve.

Threats:

• The selectors may take a backward step and that may get him out of the team.
• Missing from the Champions Trophy squad, he may lose his place to one of the seamers playing there.
• Taller batsmen will be a problem for him.

 

[nightprowler10]

Or hardly working?

 

[silentstriker]

Irfan Pathan: Can swing the ball, but doesn't know what pace is. Really struggling with line, length and accuracy, which have to be your bread and butter if you don't bowl fast. He doesn't have a natural command of those things, so he will suck and be out of the team within a year to year and a half. Oddly enough, he actually has a 'slower ball', which would imply that the other balls in his repertoire are fast. Sadly, this is not the case.


Munaf Patel: Has OK speed, but has to learn how to swing the ball better. He doesn't have express speed so he has to increase the type of deliveries he can bowl. Doesn't seem to be a natural fast bowler, so puts a lot of strain on his body. Most likely will struggle with pace, injuries and accuracy, and will be out of the team within 2 years.

Sreesanth: Has the best pace of the three. Still not express, but enough to make the batsman hurry a little bit. Seems to be more naturally athletic so he might be able to add a few KMs of pace, and some muscle for better durability. Really struggles with the run rates, way too agrressive at times. Also seems to get discouraged easily, as witnessed by a couple spells in WI where he couldn't even complete his runups. MIght stay around in the team for 1-2 years, before gradually falling off.


All in all, the overall rating of the pace attack is D+. The worst in international cricket, or close to the worst. Most likely all three of them will be abandoned as soon as the 'next big thing' in pace comes along, and the process will repeat itself until we get a genuine fast bowling star.

 

[nightprowler10]

I've always seen Sreesanth as the new Sami...

 

[silentstriker]

One thing I would add is that people should hope for and expect Gough/Caddick like careers rather than Wasim/Waqar types.

There should not be too much unreasonable expectations put on them.

I would be ecstatic with even Gough/Caddick like careers.

 

[Arjun]

Now MUNAF PATEL has got some attention.

Strengths:

• Power. He's the tallest and most powerful among the current bunch of pacers.
• Pace. He's got extra pace. Again, without being express, he can be effective with that pace.
• Can hold a line and length for some time.
• Has shown good control over the new ball and old.
• His claim to fame was a ten-wicket haul against a visiting English side in a practice match.
• He's a quick learner and age is on his side.

Weaknesses:

• Very good bowler, but not much else. Dreadful fielder at present and batting not put to any use.
• Likely to get injured, given that analysis of his action and also his history with injuries, because of which he missed a whole season.
• Can't move the ball much, and struggles at times when it's new. Still a little raw.
• Doesn't attack much.

Opportunities:

• The new policy of youth and pace will favour him too.
• With the best bowler being a Roulette man and the next best in a slump, he's a lot more relevant than other prospects.
• Good Test figures so far will keep him in the frame. ODI comments not included since the ongoing series has two matches left.
• Got picked for the Champions Trophy and should perform well there.

Threats:

• Experienced batsmen will get on top of him easily, unless he can keep up his new-found form.
• There's the revolving door again.
• Common to all new pace prospects, Agarkar has got very lucky these days and Zaheer has been getting wickets in the county championships in England.

 

[Arjun]

Let's not forget about R.P. SINGH:

Strengths:

• This youngster's got A-team experience on his side, apart from the FC matches in India that he's played, returning good figures.
• He can extract extra bounce with his height.
• He's got some extra pace as well.
• Moves the ball a little off the pitch.
• When not bowling, he can save more than a few runs. May be a very useful ODI specialist bowler, given a promising start to his career.

Weaknesses:

• Not much pace.
• Stuck in a slump right now.
• Lacks power or variety to be a striker in Tests.
• Doesn't swing it much.

Opportunities:

• The team management may give him more opportunities, since he's had more experience than other rookies at FC/List-A level.
• Plenty of ODI action, to give him some chances.
• He's played for the State team that won the FC championship in India, so he's got an advantage.

Threats:

• He's already on the bench, and he may be out of the squad, knowing the people in charge.
• Aggressive batsmen may have a go at him when the conditions don't suit his style of bowling.
• His action may be examined a little more closely for, you guesed it.

 

[Arjun]

...All in all, the overall rating of the pace attack is D+. The worst in international cricket, or close to the worst. Most likely all three of them will be abandoned as soon as the 'next big thing' in pace comes along, and the process will repeat itself until we get a genuine fast bowling star.

Luckily for the Indian team and their fans, you're not a national selector.

Why don't you suggest some solutions, for a change?

 

[silentstriker]

Luckily for the Indian team and their fans, you're not a national selector.

Why don't you suggest some solutions, for a change?

I never said I would not pick them if I was the national selector. I am simply stating that even if these are our best pace bowlers, they aren't any good. They could be the best of a horrendous bunch.