*Official* West Indies in India

[Daemon]

Yeah, agree with Cevno here. He hasn't done anything to warrant his selection.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Harby doesn't have any exceptional performances in Australia to begin with. But that's besides the point. Harby is still very much in contention as a spinner, firstly he needs to be fully fit, was pretty surprised at him being injured in the England tour, considering he's only a spinner. Ojha's role in the team is of containment, I don't consider him a big threat for Australia, Aswhin's performances also need to be taken into context. So Harby defo gets in the squad at least. You can't leave a player as big as him on a big tour like Australia, might not feature in the playing 11 but you have to take him to Aus.

No way. If Harbhajan is in the squad, you just know Tendulkar and Dhoni will insist on playing him irrespective of merit and form.

 

[shankar]

Ishant looking totally uninspiring.

 

[Cevno]

Ishant looking totally uninspiring.

Yeah. Isn't moving the ball a inch, even though he is apparently bowling quicker than his normal. He is usually reliant on the reverse at home to be effective, so hopefully it reverses for him later on.

Aaron is doing better though.

 

[Cevno]

Zaheer practicing his bowling already in the nets. Good signs.

 

[Athlai]

Are these speed guns to be trusted? Does Ishant really look as fast as his fastest?

 

[Contra]

What helpful tracks are you talking about exactly? Post the Australia series last year Harby has bowled on Ahemdabad (Road), Hydrabad (Road), Kanpur (spinning wicket, did okay), Centurion (flat, but he bowled well), Durban (did well) and Cape Town (did well), WI Tour (did well), then he was ineffective against England, although he was injured in the second test.

So really he hasn't done nearly as bad as it's being made out. Somewhat unfortunate because this series against WI would have been perfect for him to grab a bagful and get his confidence back, which is the most worrying part about him.

 

[Athlai]

What helpful tracks are you talking about exactly? Post the Australia series last year Harby has bowled on Ahemdabad (Road), Hydrabad (Road), Kanpur (spinning wicket, did okay), Centurion (flat, but he bowled well), Durban (did well) and Cape Town (did well), WI Tour (did well), then he was ineffective against England, although he was injured in the second test.

So really he hasn't done nearly as bad as it's being made out. Somewhat unfortunate because this series against WI would have been perfect for him to grab a bagful and get his confidence back, which is the most worrying part about him.

Yeah no spinners have really done all that well in the last two years of matches Harby has played

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/en...9;spanval2=span;template=results;type=bowling

 

[nsniks]

But harbhajan is also not helping his case by performing poorly in domestic games. He has played 3 games and picked up just 2 wickets

 

[Contra]

No way. If Harbhajan is in the squad, you just know Tendulkar and Dhoni will insist on playing him irrespective of merit and form.

That's not entirely a bad thing, besides I'm not saying to pick him for the first test, you take him so that should either Ashwin or Ohja (whoever ends up in the final 11) fail in the first one or 2 tests then you can fall back on Bhajji.

Ojha will be ineffective in Australia, almost guaranteed. Ojha has absolutely no variation, and we're talking Australian pitches here, so he won't be able to contain as effectively either. Ashwin to be more successful, but that's because he's really aggressive, and he's got a few variation that will fetch him wickets.

2 inexperienced spinners for a tour to Aus is a huge risk. And I feel we're gonna need Bhajji for this tour. Irrelevant of whatever is current form / confidence is right now.

 

[shankar]

Yeah. Isn't moving the ball a inch, even though he is apparently bowling quicker than his normal. He is usually reliant on the reverse at home to be effective, so hopefully it reverses for him later on.

His comeback (starting from the away WI series) has been weird. His pace has somehow been back to his best without getting the wrist action right. He got movement in the WI despite a scrambled seam because of the pitches. He also had a nice leg-cutter going which he seems to have lost. I can't see him getting any reverse swing even if it's available now.

 

[Athlai]

But harbhajan is also not helping his case by performing poorly in domestic games. He has played 3 games and picked up just 2 wickets

Two of those games seem like they were on roads. (Is Punjab's batting as **** as it looks?)

The third game the other team got rolled before he really got that many overs at them.

 

[Turbinator]

Didn't know Contra was such a big fan of mine.

 

[shankar]

Are these speed guns to be trusted? Does Ishant really look as fast as his fastest?

I think they're fine. Edwards' pace readings have been what you'd expect.

 

[Cevno]

Two of those games seem like they were on roads. (Is Punjab's batting as **** as it looks?)

The third game the other team got rolled before he really got that many overs at them.

Nah, it's usually quite good.

Tough to tell without watching them, but i think only the first was a road. In any case other spinners are doing well/better on some similar pitches too in the Ranji. 2 wickets in 3 games is really poor for a International spinner.

 

[Cevno]

Aaron has been a bit unlucky to not get a edge so far. Bowled decently well at least.

 

[Contra]

Yeah no spinners have really done all that well in the last two years of matches Harby has played

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Sentence is a little confusing, but yes spinners haven't done that well over the last few years in general. Apart from Swann, and maybe Ajmal.

Didn't know Contra was such a big fan of mine.

lol

----------------------------

Also Domestic matches? The Likes of Raina and Nayar are smashing Double tons in domestic cricket, should we re-select Raina then too? <_<

I highly doubt Bhajji will ever make a comeback behind a bunch of good Ranji performances in any case, doesn't strike me as that type of player. Yuvraj has never been picked based on Ranji performances ever. Neither has Raina. You don't need Ranji performances to tell you how good Bhajji can be.

 

[Cevno]

Yeah no spinners have really done all that well in the last two years of matches Harby has played

Bowling records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | ESPN Cricinfo

Tbf, the non India spinners are bowling against India and most are not relied as much on them to give wickets as Indian ones.

In any case, the spinning stocks have been down around the world. Rather give someone on the up a chance, rather than stick with mediocrity.

 

[Burgey]

Zaheer practicing his bowling already in the nets. Good signs.

When he gets out here I'll throw a chocolate eclair on the practice wicket. He'll go to snaffle it and twang his hammy again.

 

[Daemon]

Are these speed guns to be trusted? Does Ishant really look as fast as his fastest?

I remember one of Yadav's balls being shown on Cricinfo as 143kph while NeoCricket said it was 137kph.

That's a huge difference tbh.