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Bob Simpson's comments

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?
 

luckyeddie

Cricket Web Staff Member
One thing I'll take issue with Arjun over is the statement that seaming wickets are 'Not good for the game. They provide a lot less runs, thus less entertainment'.

I don't know about you, but for the most part the fourth test between the West Indies and England was a wretched match - a pitch totally devoid of life. OK, Lara's record provided much interest, but it was as entertaining as watching whelks. The first three games were 'sporting' strips and the entertainment was quite splendid.

I think the ideal wicket has a tinge of green on day 1, at its best for batting on day 2 and 3, starting to turn on day 3-4, going much further on day 5 - but with some pace and bounce. If you've got as many of those aspects as possible, you've got a good one.
 

Craig

World Traveller
Arjun said:
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.
Rather seaming wickets suit the best in the world from flat track bullies. I dont think Virender Sehwag is a flat-track bully, or at least he has shown he can get runs on seaming wickets. CAse in point at Nottingham 2002 which AFAIK suited the seamers as England played an all seam line-up.

Arjun said:
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.
If it is going to be seaming conditions. Stacking your team with batsmen may not always be a good idea. I dont think it evens out the balance of the Indian side.

I guess 6 batsmen, 1 keeper, 3 quicks and a spinner would be ideal for India.
 

Spetsnatz

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Simpson reckons that India don't have a good spin attack anymore.

I'd disagree -- I rate a pairing of Kumble and Harbhajan as a potent force particularly on their wickets.
 

Slow Love™

International Captain
I agree with Eddie's comment about seaming wickets. They ARE good for the game, and the flat tracks are strangling test cricket.

But having said that, certainly, India SHOULD prepare dry, turning pitches. They should play to their strengths. The main reason Australia beat Sri Lanka (and even though the result was 3-0, we shouldn't pretend it was easy, because it was a lot closer than that result suggests) away was because SL's batting was so thin. Australia certainly had some shaky innings on the tour, and Murali was ripping through the middle and lower order with regularity. Turning tracks are still very much their weakness.

India's batting lineup is one of (if not the) most powerful in the world. They're very capable of high scores, and up to this point, Warne hasn't fared well in India. It is the case that India's fast bowling stocks do look better than they have for a long while, but I still think that Australia will murder most sides on a seaming pitch, or a bouncy one. A turner will blunt much of the Aussie bowling, and accentuate the Australian bats' susceptibility to spin bowling.
 

Neil Pickup

Cricket Web Moderator
Craig said:
Rather seaming wickets suit the best in the world from flat track bullies. I dont think Virender Sehwag is a flat-track bully, or at least he has shown he can get runs on seaming wickets. CAse in point at Nottingham 2002 which AFAIK suited the seamers as England played an all seam line-up.



If it is going to be seaming conditions. Stacking your team with batsmen may not always be a good idea. I dont think it evens out the balance of the Indian side.

I guess 6 batsmen, 1 keeper, 3 quicks and a spinner would be ideal for India.
It may have suited the seamers but they all bowled at their own toecaps all match.

India have to prepare bunsens for the tour. Should Harbhajan and Kumble be fit, Australia's batting is weaker against spin than seam - and MacGill sucks, and Warne's nothing to worry about for India, right?

Anything else would be the same "cowardice" shown by Pakistan in shaving the First Test track.
 

Spetsnatz

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Neil Pickup said:
It may have suited the seamers but they all bowled at their own toecaps all match.

India have to prepare bunsens for the tour. Should Harbhajan and Kumble be fit, Australia's batting is weaker against spin than seam - and MacGill sucks, and Warne's nothing to worry about for India, right?

Anything else would be the same "cowardice" shown by Pakistan in shaving the First Test track.
I think India's batsmen have always respected Warne's abilities despite having done very well against him.
I doubt if they will take him lightly for this tour.
 

Arjun

Cricketer Of The Year
The main reason Australia beat Sri Lanka (and even though the result was 3-0, we shouldn't pretend it was easy, because it was a lot closer than that result suggests) away was because SL's batting was so thin. Australia certainly had some shaky innings on the tour, and Murali was ripping through the middle and lower order with regularity. Turning tracks are still very much their weakness.
Not to mention Murali and Vaas lacked support. Zoysa and Kulasekara were easy picking for a team that has produced quality fast bowlers over the years, while Dharmasena and Chandana were not up to the mark.

About the issue of flat tracks and seaming wickets, everyone has overlooked what I said- they provide fresh relief from those boring Antigua-style wickets. All pitches in international cricket these days are usually flat. Those NZ-type pitches were different. That was a good thing.

I guess 6 batsmen, 1 keeper, 3 quicks and a spinner would be ideal for India.
That would be a good option if one of them can bowl really fast or can get a lot of swing. If you look at combinations of 3 seamers that were successful, at least one of them bowled at express pace. Those without pace were weak. England can't do much about it, as seam is their main strength.
 

Sanz

Hall of Fame Member
I think India should go with the Spin advantage. They dont have the fast bowlers who can pose any threat to Australia, Spin is their best despite the fact the the present Australian team is better than the last one at playing spin .

Indians can't afford to take Warnie lightly either.
 

tooextracool

International Coach
its about playing to you're strengths....india as we all know play better on slower,turning wickets than they do on seaming wickets and australia definetly have a much much better pace attack than india. its no use talking about headingly now, not only because headingly isnt always a seamers paradise, but because the attack that they faced then wasnt great either.
if india do in fact prepare turners then not only will they have the advantage in terms of 2 spinners against australias 1 spinner but also that they will have to contend only with warne,against whom they've never had any significant problems in the past.
 

Spetsnatz

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
I can't really see the pitches being much different from those in 2001 when Australia last toured India.
 

anzac

International Debutant
tooextracool said:
its about playing to you're strengths....india as we all know play better on slower,turning wickets than they do on seaming wickets and australia definetly have a much much better pace attack than india.
agreed...........

calls for IND needing to improve their pace attack do not need to mean a total abandonment of their traditional strengths.......

perhaps a bit more pace & bounce in the wickets on day 1 & 2 b4 allowing the spin to dominate...........

too many pitches these days are becoming flat tracks in their search to provide pace & bounce for improved stroke play - in the process they are eliminating anything to encourage the bowlers who are fast becoming 'containers' with anything other than the new ball...........

:mellow:
 

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