SJS
Hall of Fame Member
Finally it took a former fast bowler from an other country to ask, even though he wasn't being involved in the discussion by the Indian gentlemen, to ask whether the "incredibly gifted" Yuvraj was 'scared' of fast and short stuff (not Bishop's exact words I know). Mr Shastri then had to agree that "Bish makes a very strong point"
Yuvraj's problem against fast and short stuff is not new. It is as old as his cricketing career but no one amongst the "great" former Indian cricketers has ever even hinted at it. The only people who will talk about it are those who have no stakes in the game. I would like to include myself in that latter group but that does not make me a cricketing pundit. All it proves is that my eye sight is not all that bad once I have my glasses or lenses in place. PLUS I can see that just because a batsman will plunder runs on a wicket not conducive to fiery short stuff and/or bowlers not able to exploit the weakness it does not mean he will not be tested by a wily fast bowler in due course of time .
Of course Yuvraj is not the only batsman from the sub continent with this problem. India and Pakistan are flooded with cricketers who love to plonk that front foot forward and make drives flowing like a million bucks. Its just that Yuvraj has been hyped so much in India and, without doubt, looks so good if he isn't tested with fiery short stuff.
On whether he is scared or not, I dont know but if he is, why wouldn't he be. If the room I was sitting in was engulfed in flames and I found my legs were in no condition to take me away from the danger I would wet my pants I guess. Yuvraj is a braver person than that. He continues to play the game.
The problem, however, isn't mental. Mental it may have become now if it affects his confidence overall. The problem is what, finally, Ravi Shastri mentioned TODAY !!!
Yuvraj does not play back PERIOD.
Use of the four feet of space between the batting crease and the stumps said Mr Shastri. Brilliant !! What fantastic insight !! Strange we never heard it for ten years !! Or is it something of a new problem with Yuvraj ?
What are our coaches doing by the way? I am sick and tired of hearing that once a cricketer reaches the international level he does not need to be taught the basics. A coach can just work on the fringes of his game and strengthen the "other" aspects. Really? Then why talk of the four feet at all.
Cricketers, including the really great ones have and/or develop problems with their games. All they need is to have egos a bit smaller than the Everest and ask. I say ask because in India no one is going say it on their own and the older cricketers who do are going to be shushed down if not derided as dinosaurs and, of course, coaches who dare to do that may find themselves without a job.
One knows of on player from the West Indies, also a left handed batsman, going to a former cricketer who had retired before the younger man reached his fifth birthday.
The young man's name was Brian Lara and the older man was one Garfield Sobers. By the way, it was not when Lara was trying to get settled as a West Indian cricketer. It was at a time when he was already being compared to the same older gentleman as perhaps one of the greatest left handed batsman in the history of the game on the planet.
Yuvraj's problem against fast and short stuff is not new. It is as old as his cricketing career but no one amongst the "great" former Indian cricketers has ever even hinted at it. The only people who will talk about it are those who have no stakes in the game. I would like to include myself in that latter group but that does not make me a cricketing pundit. All it proves is that my eye sight is not all that bad once I have my glasses or lenses in place. PLUS I can see that just because a batsman will plunder runs on a wicket not conducive to fiery short stuff and/or bowlers not able to exploit the weakness it does not mean he will not be tested by a wily fast bowler in due course of time .
Of course Yuvraj is not the only batsman from the sub continent with this problem. India and Pakistan are flooded with cricketers who love to plonk that front foot forward and make drives flowing like a million bucks. Its just that Yuvraj has been hyped so much in India and, without doubt, looks so good if he isn't tested with fiery short stuff.
On whether he is scared or not, I dont know but if he is, why wouldn't he be. If the room I was sitting in was engulfed in flames and I found my legs were in no condition to take me away from the danger I would wet my pants I guess. Yuvraj is a braver person than that. He continues to play the game.
The problem, however, isn't mental. Mental it may have become now if it affects his confidence overall. The problem is what, finally, Ravi Shastri mentioned TODAY !!!
Yuvraj does not play back PERIOD.
Use of the four feet of space between the batting crease and the stumps said Mr Shastri. Brilliant !! What fantastic insight !! Strange we never heard it for ten years !! Or is it something of a new problem with Yuvraj ?
What are our coaches doing by the way? I am sick and tired of hearing that once a cricketer reaches the international level he does not need to be taught the basics. A coach can just work on the fringes of his game and strengthen the "other" aspects. Really? Then why talk of the four feet at all.
Cricketers, including the really great ones have and/or develop problems with their games. All they need is to have egos a bit smaller than the Everest and ask. I say ask because in India no one is going say it on their own and the older cricketers who do are going to be shushed down if not derided as dinosaurs and, of course, coaches who dare to do that may find themselves without a job.
One knows of on player from the West Indies, also a left handed batsman, going to a former cricketer who had retired before the younger man reached his fifth birthday.
The young man's name was Brian Lara and the older man was one Garfield Sobers. By the way, it was not when Lara was trying to get settled as a West Indian cricketer. It was at a time when he was already being compared to the same older gentleman as perhaps one of the greatest left handed batsman in the history of the game on the planet.
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