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*Official* Bangladesh in India 2019

vcs

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Ishant vs. Zaheer is now legitimately debatable and Ishant has a good chance of finishing with the better career. Would have been unthinkable a few years back, when he looked like an absolute shoo-in for the "worst bowler with >200 Test wickets" accolade.
 

OverratedSanity

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Average was 38.8 at the end of 2013 after 53 test matches. Was genuinely one of the very worst to have played that many tests at that point.
 

Cruxdude

International Debutant
Have always had a soft corner for Ishant and I still remember THAT thread here before the 2011 England tour about Ishant vs Broad. I voted Ishant :ph34r:. He has not had the career I hoped he would have after seeing him against Australia but what a turnaround it has been. Not his fault he kept getting selected when he was not at his best and he was always there to bowl. Loving his late success and really hope he has a starring role in a big series win before he retires!
 

silentstriker

The Wheel is Forever
Yeah, if I were to cherry pick the start date and look at, say his past 100 wickets - he took them in 32 matches, at an average of 23.28, with an SR of 51 and an economy of 2.7. Respectable numbers by any standard (only in the wickets per match category does he fall behind other very good seamers). But historically exceptional if compared amongst Indian seamers.
 
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Flem274*

123/5
ishant has been legit for a while. if he'd been developed in a system kinder to the grooming of quicks he's probs average 25-27 (with less wickets because he wouldn't have been thrown to the wolves early) and be on his way to cw meme atvg status
 

CricAddict

Cricketer Of The Year
Yeah I do remember one former South African great saying many many years ago when he was actually bad that Ishant would have been an ATG if he was playing for South Africa in their pitches. But can't remember who it is.
 

Daemon

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There was a while a few years back when it seemed like Sanjay had found his comfort zone. In the 2014 india tour to SA, he was the lead studio analyst for the post match show, Match Point i think it was called,and I remember a lot of people saying they enjoyed him in that role. I personally thought he was really good too, he gave his honest opinion without coming off as a douche for the most part. Over the last 2-3 years he's become more and more bitter, for some reason and now everyone hates him again. Just a detestable presence in the box.
Match point was quality. No wonder it didn’t take off.
 

CricAddict

Cricketer Of The Year
In NZ, wouldn't Bhuvi come handy? They can make horses courses selection.
Yes he should. My squad will be

Mayank, Rohit, Pujara, Kohli, Rahane, Vihari, Saha, Jadeja, Shami, Ishant, Bumrah plus Bhuvi, Ashwin, Hardik and Umesh.
 

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
Will be fun if Ishant keeps up this level of performance for the next 3 or 4 years and then we can all go back to the Ishant Vs Broad thread and troll everyone who said Broad, juz like they did for everyone who said Ishant after Broad suddenly turned good. :p
 

h_hurricane

International Vice-Captain
Yeah, if I were to cherry pick the start date and look at, say his past 100 wickets - he took them in 32 matches, at an average of 23.28, with an SR of 51 and an economy of 2.7. Respectable numbers by any standard (only in the wickets per match category does he fall behind other very good seamers). But historically exceptional if compared amongst Indian seamers.
Yep, Ishant has been pretty damn good for the past few years.

On a side note, there have been at least been a couple of phases when an Indian pacer has averaged in the low 20s for a minimum of 100 wickets.

Shami has taken 104 wickets in the last 26 matches at 22.73.

Kapil was truly exceptional between Jan 1979 and Feb 1981. 111 wickets in 24 matches at 22.72. Not to speak of his batting. No wonder Gavaskar becomes excited when talking about him.

Zaheer had a good peak between 2007-2011. Averaged 27 odd in these years. Not as good as above two or Ishant's peak.

Bumrah is one great hope. Lets see how his career goes.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
I think there just has to be reasonable cause for significant doubt wrt Bumrah in at least the medium term. Not in terms of his actual output, he's obviously exceptional, but whether his action will let him stay on the park for significant stretches with the rigours of international Test cricket.
 

OverratedSanity

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I think there just has to be reasonable cause for significant doubt wrt Bumrah in at least the medium term. Not in terms of his actual output, he's obviously exceptional, but whether his action will let him stay on the park for significant stretches with the rigours of international Test cricket.
True. But I think he was so exceptional anyway in that one year that I'll rate him the best Indian pacer I've seen even if he comes back a shadow of himself. Just in terms of skill and wicket taking ability, he is miles ahead of the rest afaic.
 

ankitj

Hall of Fame Member
Kuldeep is nowhere near ready for test cricket. He is very good at shunting through tailenders for sure but I don't see that as being good enough especially to play as the sole spinner. He is extremely slow through the air and very easy to attack and Kohli will have nowhere to hide when the 1 spinner in a 4 man attack is absolutely carted. At the very least with Ash or Jaddu, some modicum of control can be exercised. Also, Kuldeep has not been in great form and even Shaz, who was waaay over the top saying he was our #1 spinner, has since then changed his tune.
Kuldeep won't be ready until he is given a fair run. Just gets called in for one odd match and gets benched irrespective of how he does. Understandably that's because of an excess of test class options so it's tricky. But I hope he is not just shunted as limited overs only cricketer like Bhuvi.
 

honestbharani

Whatever it takes!!!
They have already spotted an issue with his bowling, specifically his pace. He is so slow through the air and off the pitch that batsmen can easily adjust even if they are done in length turn or dip and flight. With tailenders, its tougher to adjust but most test class batsmen will manage without getting out if given so much time. And he is young enough to allow work on such things. I don't see any hurry to blood him into the test side and risk him being another Karn Sharma. Just being a wrist spinner does not make you good as many around the world have figured out. As long as Ashwin and Jadeja continue to be better test match bowlers (and they easily are), they should be picked ahead of him. He can play as the third spinner whenever the chance arises.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
True. But I think he was so exceptional anyway in that one year that I'll rate him the best Indian pacer I've seen even if he comes back a shadow of himself. Just in terms of skill and wicket taking ability, he is miles ahead of the rest afaic.
Yeah it's just whether he gets remembered as basically a modern day Shane Bond: exceptional, but fleeting.
 

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