Zaheer Khan

[Top_Cat]

Zaheer is potentially a great talent so India should just keep picking him. Even in a bad trot, he'll pick up a couple of wickets and do his bit. I just think he needs to be persisted with.

 

[Salamuddin]

some thoughts

Zaheer certainly seems to be lacking rhythm this season.
I don't know what the problem is.
He's capable of better performances than what he's shown.

Tim's comment that Zaheer isn't that good in tests is not right
-- last year he took 50 test wickets at an average of 28 which was a huge improvement on his 2001 performance.
That's not brilliant but its certainly respectable.

His fitness really picked up by working hard with Adrian Le Roux.

Something's definitely wrong though atm...because normally he produces several balls over 140 k's -- and as someone said he hasn't touched that pace yet.
Still there's quite a season yet..

India really need Salvi fit though -- I rate him very highly. He will
definitely add teeth to their attack.
Someone mentioned Pathan -- look he's very promising,
but there's a huge jump from u-19 cricket to ODI's.
He probably needs a couple more years -- after all he's only 19.

 

[deeps]

zaheer tends to 'overshoot' in big games...he sets him self really highly,and ends up fizzling

Even in the world cup, he bowled fairly well throughout the tournament,but against the aussies,he lost the plot..he bowled to or three no-balls to start the game...he then very uncharacteristically started yelling at gilchrist (1st ball of the day) when gilly played and missed a no-ball...

He gets too fired up for big games,..ie, against australia etc. and then ends up not playing well... Once he relaxes, and plays his natural game, he will once again become a dangerous bowler...

He can bowl,i've seen him bowl many times against other oppositions..He has got the most deadliest yorker since waqar younis (maybe brett lee when he starts reverse swinging)..he's quick,and he deservedly desereves his mantle as india's strike bowler...

With Ashish Nehra back from injury, i think he'll handle the pressure much better.

 

[Craig]

Richard did you agree with my assesment on Zaheer Khan?

 

[Richard]

I've never rated Khan as highly as some out-of-handedly have.
The only time I've ever seen him bowl for an extended spell was in England (I saw a few highlights packages in previous series' and tournaments), but he looked very ordinary.
His domestic records aren't especially brilliant, especially his one-day one, and for me he's certainly not India's best seamer. Never seen Salvi or Balaji, but both have better First-Class records.
Don't especially rate Nehra either, though there's no denying both were pretty good in The World Cup. They both had peaks at the right time. Srinath had a long-overdue peak from New Zealand to the WC semi. Shame his career's just faded like it has - no official "I've retired from ODIs" etc. Just like Venkatesh Prasad - unceremoniously put out-to-grass. And Agarkar still can't step into the breach, though he got pretty decent figures on Saturday. With Kumble slowly, quietly being phased-out of the team, India's attack is disintegrating and until Salvi, Balaji and Mishra start being a bit more consistent (in England neither displayed their normal accuracy) the rest are not convincing IMO.

 

[Richard]

tendulkar, sehwag, dravid, laxman, should be the top four. The best four Indian batsmen should come in first. And playng tendulkar opening with sehwag will be the best thing. The only way to neutralize the aussie pace attack. Instinctively Indians try to protect Tendulkar but thats the wrong approach. A batsman of his class who has had experience opening the innings in the past should be used this way. It will be a revealation for India I think.

For me it's not as simple as that.
Tendulkar has been far more succesful in the opening position (48 compared to nearly 37?) but it's not just that which I think needs to be taken into consideration.
Ganguly and Sehwag as an opening combo has had quite a bit of success (most notably in The NatWest Series 2002) and it's not as if India have a massive number of players capable of playing in any manner. Ganguly isn't especially suited to coming in and working it around from ball one, Yuvraj is someone best coming in with 10-15 overs left and Kaif's form recently has been little short of abysmal. Laxman, Tendulkar, Dravid would be the best middle-order for me (Dravid and Laxman the opposite to the Tests) with Yuvraj and Agarkar or a wicketkeeper to follow. Ganguly and Sehwag, while probably not as consistent with what follows as Tendulkar, are every bit as deadly in the first 15.
Tendulkar can play in any manner, and often does when opening, but there are plenty who can match his 15-over stuff. Not as many who can match his 15-40 over stuff. Therefore that, for me, is the best place to aim his innings at.

 

[marc71178]

And Agarkar still can't step into the breach, though he got pretty decent figures on Saturday.

But did he deserve them?

I mean, yeah he got 4 wickets, but 3 of them came in the 50th Over, so doesn't suggest to me he deserved them very much.

(removes tounge from cheek)

 

[Neil Pickup]

(removes tounge from cheek)

What's a tounge? :P

 

[LankanPrince]

I've never rated Khan as highly as some out-of-handedly have.
The only time I've ever seen him bowl for an extended spell was in England (I saw a few highlights packages in previous series' and tournaments), but he looked very ordinary.
His domestic records aren't especially brilliant, especially his one-day one, and for me he's certainly not India's best seamer. Never seen Salvi or Balaji, but both have better First-Class records.
Don't especially rate Nehra either, though there's no denying both were pretty good in The World Cup. They both had peaks at the right time. Srinath had a long-overdue peak from New Zealand to the WC semi. Shame his career's just faded like it has - no official "I've retired from ODIs" etc. Just like Venkatesh Prasad - unceremoniously put out-to-grass. And Agarkar still can't step into the breach, though he got pretty decent figures on Saturday. With Kumble slowly, quietly being phased-out of the team, India's attack is disintegrating and until Salvi, Balaji and Mishra start being a bit more consistent (in England neither displayed their normal accuracy) the rest are not convincing IMO.

Richard, I think you are underestimating Zaheer Khan. He is not the most talented fast bowler but works very hard. He has been brought up on the sub-continental pitches which are not that responsive for swing or seam. Despite this he is still a good, fairly consistent bowler who puts 100% effort. At the moment he is India's best paceman. Nehra and Agarkar are explosive and quick but to inconsistent. Srinath was a great in the past but is fairly predictable and has lost pace. I think Zaheer has the capability to produce the dangerous deliveries. He has to bowl on difficult surfaces unlike english guys like Harmison and Hoggard who have had good surfaces but are less than mediocre bowlers. I think the English often overrate these two bowlers. If you rated this two guys solely on statistics, they would be c**p, records aren't everything. To become a good fast bowler in India is much harder than in England, thats why I have to give Zaheer a lot of cred even though he will never be the world's best. I hope he rises to the top of Indian Cricket.8D

 

[gibbsnsmith]

the top of indian cricket???

where the hell is he now then?

 

[LankanPrince]

Think foolish one (just kiddin man!), even the best have their bad days cough cough Shawn Pollock in World Cup 2003, Brett Lee in West Indies. I am not saying Zaheer is at the top yet but he is still the best Indian fast bowler over past couple of years I don't see any other Indian fast bowler excelling at the moment. You misunderstood what I said. I said I HOPE he rises to the top because he promises great potential. It is not wise to use such harsh language, cricketers are normal human beings like us. We all prone to suffer bad spells and a lack of confidence. This is especially true for the highly pressured cricketers in India. Think about your words carefully.:saint:

 

[Anil]

I've always been an Agarkar fan but he's not exactly helped his chances in recent Tests. Bangar batted well at Headingley and in two of the West Indies Tests (one home, one away) but I don't really think he's a Test standard batsman. Certainly not a Test-standard bowler.....................................................................
Warne'll be back by then (though in his last two series' in India he's lost it completely, too).

Agarkar's figures in tests: 35 wickets in 16 tests at 46.57 ave and a s/r of 86.5 shows that he is just not good enough.
Bangar has shown himself to be of more value to the Indian test team in the short time he has been in the team when compared to the innumerable chances given to the great AA.

Warne in the team could actually help India against Australia(a welcome respite from McGrath, Lee and Gillespie....) when you look at his record against them.....

 

[Craig]

Think foolish one (just kiddin man!), even the best have their bad days cough cough Shawn Pollock in World Cup 2003, Brett Lee in West Indies. I am not saying Zaheer is at the top yet but he is still the best Indian fast bowler over past couple of years I don't see any other Indian fast bowler excelling at the moment. You misunderstood what I said. I said I HOPE he rises to the top because he promises great potential. It is not wise to use such harsh language, cricketers are normal human beings like us. We all prone to suffer bad spells and a lack of confidence. This is especially true for the highly pressured cricketers in India. Think about your words carefully.:saint:

Was it directed at me?

 

[LankanPrince]

Don't worry Craig I was talking to Gibbsnsmith about his unnecessary bad language.

 

[Richard]

But did he deserve them?

I mean, yeah he got 4 wickets, but 3 of them came in the 50th Over, so doesn't suggest to me he deserved them very much.

And I also read several descriptions of deliveries like "Agarkar to ..., no run, ... ball begging to be hit..."
Like I say, I like AA and I'm glad he got good figures, but I'm not going to kid myself he deserved them.

 

[Richard]

the best ... Brett Lee

This was in the same sentance, suggesting the latter is part of the former group!
And West Indies was one of Lee's rare series where he managed to average under 30. Often seemed to start with poor figures and get away with it with later wickets (not saying my memory is faultless).

 

[Richard]

Richard, I think you are underestimating Zaheer Khan. He is not the most talented fast bowler but works very hard. He has been brought up on the sub-continental pitches which are not that responsive for swing or seam. Despite this he is still a good, fairly consistent bowler who puts 100% effort. At the moment he is India's best paceman. Nehra and Agarkar are explosive and quick but to inconsistent. Srinath was a great in the past but is fairly predictable and has lost pace. I think Zaheer has the capability to produce the dangerous deliveries. He has to bowl on difficult surfaces unlike english guys like Harmison and Hoggard who have had good surfaces but are less than mediocre bowlers. I think the English often overrate these two bowlers. If you rated this two guys solely on statistics, they would be c**p, records aren't everything. To become a good fast bowler in India is much harder than in England, thats why I have to give Zaheer a lot of cred even though he will never be the world's best. I hope he rises to the top of Indian Cricket.8D

I certainly think we English overrate Hoggard and Harmison (along with Jones, Flintoff, Anderson and Giles).
Of course being a seamer in India is generally more difficult than being one in England (remember stereotypes don't apply to every ground!) and Khan's First-Class average is pretty good, but his accuracy, for me, has always left something to be desired.
Khan in New Zealand possibly showed what he could achieve, but I still think some Indians overrate him.

 

[marc71178]

And I also read several descriptions of deliveries like "Agarkar to ..., no run, ... ball begging to be hit..."
Like I say, I like AA and I'm glad he got good figures, but I'm not going to kid myself he deserved them.

I was taking the mick

 

[Richard]

I guessed you might be but I was just making the point that you were actually speaking the truth.