Who should be India's first choice spinner?

[kunalnanda]

Ojha's too defensive.
I could see Chawla being inconsistent.
Mishra has good control but he's not that good.
Ashwin gets good bounce but can't see him being a consistent threat.

Harbhajan is still your #1 spinner imo.

The only reason you consider Harbhajan as #1 is because of what exactly.

• Ojha's too defensive? I dont think so. He was the leading wicket taker in IPL 2. That has got to count for something.
  
• Chawla being inconsistent? So is Harbhajan. Unless you consider his lack of wicket-taking abilities as consistent.
  
• Mishra has good control but he's not that good? Well he has better control than Bhaji and is also far more aggressive in his bowling. Of course if you consider screaming and shouting as signs of aggression then Bhaji is #1.
  
• Ashwin gets good bounce but can't see him being a consistent threat? A bowler who regularly opens the bowling in T20 format is not considered as a threat according to you. I am sorry but that is simply nonsense.

In my opinion Mishra should be the #1 bowler in Tests and Ashwin in ODIs/T20s. Harbhajan Singh has had his time and he has been found wanting. The only thing saving him at the moment is proven abilities with the bat. Mishra and Ashwin are much better bowlers with more variety in their bowling.

Harbhajan will stay in the team as long as Sachin is there. He has the ear of Sachin Tendulkar. And when God listens to you and is on your side, well.....

 

[Prince EWS]

Ojha's too defensive? I dont think so. He was the leading wicket taker in IPL 2. That has got to count for something.

No it doesn't.

 

[Athlai]

 

[weldone]

Ashwin, Ojha and Mishra are all quality spinners though. It's still a real area of strength for India, you'd expect any of the three to be picked for any other country bar England.

...and probably Bangladesh and arguably Sri Lanka.

But back to your point, I agree completely. This thread was not created because I think Harbhajan has lost his form or something. I created this thread because I think some of our reserve spinners are very good. It's a problem of plenty for us, which is a good problem to have. However, I still think that Bhajji is our premier spinner.

 

[Austerlitz]

No it doesn't.

 

[Spark]

No it doesn't.

tr00th

 

[Xuhaib]

Ashwin, Ojha and Mishra are all quality spinners though. It's still a real area of strength for India, you'd expect any of the three to be picked for any other country bar England.

would still pick Rehman and Ajmal over all 3 of them maybe even Kaneria if Kamran is not keeping.Bhajji is still head and shoulders the better bowler then the 3 and I can only see Mishra having a long term career.

 

[kunalnanda]

would still pick Rehman and Ajmal over all 3 of them maybe even Kaneria if Kamran is not keeping.Bhajji is still head and shoulders the better bowler then the 3 and I can only see Mishra having a long term career.

What the hell dude? We are talking about Indian spinners in an Indian team. Where did you read Pakistan in the original post?

 

[Xuhaib]

What the hell dude? We are talking about Indian spinners in an Indian team. Where did you read Pakistan in the original post?

because I am obsessed with Pakistan and bring Pakistan in every discussion.

 

[Jono]

Backing Mishra in as 2nd choice in tests, behind Harbhajan.

Would play Ashwin first choice in ODIs.

 

[Xuhaib]

If Ishant or Sree have a poor first couple of games in England I hope India go with Mishra rather then selecting one of the random 3rd seamer like Praveen or Munaf.

 

[Debris]

Still Harbhajan from what I have seen of them, particularly if only one spinner is used.

 

[vcs]

What the hell dude? We are talking about Indian spinners in an Indian team. Where did you read Pakistan in the original post?

Reading comprehension fail.

 

[Uppercut]

would still pick Rehman and Ajmal over all 3 of them maybe even Kaneria if Kamran is not keeping.Bhajji is still head and shoulders the better bowler then the 3 and I can only see Mishra having a long term career.

Really? Not a fan of Ashwin?

All I have to go on are his LO performances, so it's hard to make a judgment on him. But I've only ever been really impressed by the guy.

 

[Shri]

because I am obsessed with Pakistan and bring Pakistan in every discussion.

 

[Xuhaib]

Really? Not a fan of Ashwin?

All I have to go on are his LO performances, so it's hard to make a judgment on him. But I've only ever been really impressed by the guy.

he looks ok but think he will struggle to pick wickets at tests unless he has Kumble like discipline and mental strength.Despite all the new innovations I still feel a spinner has to have big spin and/or bounce to be a big success at the highest level Ashwin lacks in both areas.I have only ever watched him 2-3 times so the sample size not big but he does not come across as a jaw dropping talent.

 

[Shri]

Uses bounce well whenever the pitch offers him the chance to tbh. Kumble wasn't a great bowler either when he started out, just had longevity and stayed injury free for a long time and became a great bowler with experience. I feel Ashwin could do something similar to Kumble but not at his level.

 

[biased indian]

right now it is harbhajan easily...but has loved the way Mishra has been bowling in WI but have to admit the fact that its against the WI batsmen and in helpful conditions...

 

[weldone]

Is this an appropriate time for a bump?

 

[Arjun]

• Harbhajan in Tests only.
• Ashwin as a lead in ODIs and bench in T20Is.
• Mishra as the reserve or second spinner in all teams.
• Kartik in Tests and ODIs, as reserve, mostly for home matches.
• Yusuf Pathan in T20Is, and in away games in other formats.
• Ojha as a T20I reserve.
• Chawla as ODI reserve.
• No more part-time spin, please!