Arjun
Cricketer Of The Year
Anybody who has read the back pages of today's Times of India may have read an interview by Bob Simpson. What I would like to highlight is this, regarding the coming Australian tour of India.
He says the Indian team should not prepare turning tracks because the Australians have played spin very well in the recent past and the Indians have a good seam attack. This was notived in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, which they won 3-0. With a victory like that, he may have a point.
In that case, what should the Indians prepare for the series? Seaming wickets? Those wickets are usually not good for the game, as they provide a lot less runs, thus less entertainment, though fresh relief from the usual flat pitch stuff. More improtantly, even if the Indians pack the Test side with 8 batsmen, will they handle the seam and swing of the Australians in these conditions? The Australians will have no real problem, as they are used to it, though they have not played swing bowling very well.
Obviously, they can't prepare flat pitches- the Australian batsmen will hammer the Indian bowling out of the game before it is over, and then, easily apply enough pressure to crush the Indian battign lineup quickly, as they have in the recent past. Indian pace bowlers, on flat pitches, look as innocuous as those of Zimbabwe or Bangladesh. They may have had success against Pakistan, but that was a batting side that gets out regularly for 150-odd and even was all out for 50 twice in the same match. If they try to make a WACA style wicket, their pace bowlers may actually get weakened rather than aided, as the ODI in Perth showed. Their bowlers have no pace, and this will give the Australians no real scares.
Spin, as all former Indian players say, has been the team's main strength. Look at the rare Indian away victories, or even the home series victory against Australia. Spin has had to play a major role. Anil Kumble was the leading bowler in the tour of Australia. He bowled a lot better than all the seamers in the series against Pakistan. In that flat pitch series at home v/s NZ, he and Harbhajan got the wickets, while the pacers got very few- in the second Test, nothing. Spin was more effective than seam in the TVS Cup, which they could have won, had the batsmen showed more application, and had VVS Laxman held on to those catches.
Indian's pace attack is not strong. Between the seamers to consider, there are just 4 five-wicket hauls. On the other hand, Kumble has 2, while Harbhajan has 12. It is not such a bad idea to prepare turners, as they are more likely to win on these wickets, than on flat pitches. Compare India's batsmen against Australian seamers, they're quite good, but not as dangerous as Australian batsmen against Indian seamers. Playing 2 or even 3 spinners may even things. Just play to your strengths.
What do you think?
He says the Indian team should not prepare turning tracks because the Australians have played spin very well in the recent past and the Indians have a good seam attack. This was notived in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, which they won 3-0. With a victory like that, he may have a point.
In that case, what should the Indians prepare for the series? Seaming wickets? Those wickets are usually not good for the game, as they provide a lot less runs, thus less entertainment, though fresh relief from the usual flat pitch stuff. More improtantly, even if the Indians pack the Test side with 8 batsmen, will they handle the seam and swing of the Australians in these conditions? The Australians will have no real problem, as they are used to it, though they have not played swing bowling very well.
Obviously, they can't prepare flat pitches- the Australian batsmen will hammer the Indian bowling out of the game before it is over, and then, easily apply enough pressure to crush the Indian battign lineup quickly, as they have in the recent past. Indian pace bowlers, on flat pitches, look as innocuous as those of Zimbabwe or Bangladesh. They may have had success against Pakistan, but that was a batting side that gets out regularly for 150-odd and even was all out for 50 twice in the same match. If they try to make a WACA style wicket, their pace bowlers may actually get weakened rather than aided, as the ODI in Perth showed. Their bowlers have no pace, and this will give the Australians no real scares.
Spin, as all former Indian players say, has been the team's main strength. Look at the rare Indian away victories, or even the home series victory against Australia. Spin has had to play a major role. Anil Kumble was the leading bowler in the tour of Australia. He bowled a lot better than all the seamers in the series against Pakistan. In that flat pitch series at home v/s NZ, he and Harbhajan got the wickets, while the pacers got very few- in the second Test, nothing. Spin was more effective than seam in the TVS Cup, which they could have won, had the batsmen showed more application, and had VVS Laxman held on to those catches.
Indian's pace attack is not strong. Between the seamers to consider, there are just 4 five-wicket hauls. On the other hand, Kumble has 2, while Harbhajan has 12. It is not such a bad idea to prepare turners, as they are more likely to win on these wickets, than on flat pitches. Compare India's batsmen against Australian seamers, they're quite good, but not as dangerous as Australian batsmen against Indian seamers. Playing 2 or even 3 spinners may even things. Just play to your strengths.
What do you think?