AA Dropped !!

[marc71178]

And as for depth in the Indian pace ranks... Well, that's as ambitious as suggesting Bracken is world class.

In one way they do have depth, because there's a number of bowlers who will all do pretty much as well as each over.

The problem is, and always has been, that (although it appears to be improving), this level of performance isn't the greatest.

 

[Andre]

A surplus of mediocre bowlers isn't really depth.

 

[Arjun]

How many series have the Indians won with Agarkar? In the recent past (last 4 years), just 4, including 2 scratchy wins against Zims. With Williams and Bracken, the Australians actually won an ODI series in India, but they still don't last long. Williams has a bowling average of 22, all against good teams. He also has 2 five-wicket hauls having played a lot less. Bracken can get under the skin of many an Indian batsman. Never has any Indian fast bowler got figures as good as them.

Depth is not lacking, but quality is. Agarkar is only the best of a bad bunch, so if he's missing, the team misses nothing. They won that last series without him. He's very much the Indian Flintoff, but not as powerfully built and nowhere as effective, but has been a failure for the last 4 years. If there was a McGrath or Pollock in the ranks, the team would win more series.

Bracken is not world class in a team of bowling legends, but can walk into any Indian pace atack of today.

They don't need someone who's established but does not perform. They need a legend. If Agarkar is a good bowler, so are the reserves and other pace bowlers in Indian domestic matches. Legends don't perform in just 1 match- they perform consistently. Yet the Waugh brothers are not indispensable.

 

[Andre]

India have only ever had 1 legendary paceman - maybe 2 - Dev and Srinath.

While Bracken may have had fun in the one dayers, a better measure of his talent was the Test series - the Indian batsmen certainly had a lot of fun with him!

Agarkar took 2 6-fers on the tour of Australia - one in an ODI vs Australia, another in a Test vs Australia. I don't think India, 6 months on, can discard this man with little cricket being played since then.

You claim he is the best of a bad bunch, but then suggest it makes sense to leave him out. Why would you leave out the best? I don't follow, sorry.

 

[Richard]

I'd take Agarkar over Nehra any day of the century. I think a lot of people seem to think Nehra's economy rate is better than it actually is.

I've read the thread in one go and it seems certain they do.
Nehra's economy-rate is abysmal, too.
How on Earth anyone can assert that Nehra's role is to "bowl economically" I really don't know.

 

[ReallyCrazy]

agarkar economy rate : 5.11

that means he will get smashed all the time. this economy rate is even worse than tendulkar's

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

agarkar economy rate : 5.11

that means he will get smashed all the time. this economy rate is even worse than tendulkar's

But is Nehra that much better of a bowler?

Nehra is 4.71
Pathan is 5.34
Balaji is 5.42
Zaheer is 4.84

Really none of the Indian pacers are economical. At least Agarkar takes wickets, which is something that Balaji and Nehra have struggled to do in their careers to date.

 

[tooextracool]

agarkar economy rate : 5.11

that means he will get smashed all the time. this economy rate is even worse than tendulkar's

nehras ER isnt that much better either and let me remind you that agarkar is a far better batsman and fielder than nehra. it seems to me that nehra is only capable of one skill and its not like he does that brilliantly to warrant a place in the side.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'll rather have Nehra (200 from 50) than Agarkar (250 from 50).

Agarkar stop teams from getting to 50.

Or if he doesnt, he constantly brings new batman in and slows the rate for other bowlers (eg. Nehra....)

 

[Richard]

Trouble is, the likes of him and Nehra and the whole seam attack, really, always tend to let the new batsmen get off to a flyer by bowling crap deliveries.