Dendarii
International Debutant
You're right. I was getting flashbacks to when it seemed like some players (Boje and Symcox are the particular ones which come to mind) were picked more on the basis of their batting than their bowling.
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*Official* South Africa in India, Sep/Oct 2019
- Thread starter Ulzan69
- Start date
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Yeah if they'd picked him to bat 9 and dropped Maharaj or something then this would be a fair criticism. But if anything they've left out Hamza for him because he can bowl, rather than having left out a superior bowler because he can bat.
Starfighter
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Be better than their other options for the spot, more or less.
Picking another seamer in his place would've been redundant a lot of the time because Kallis, and I think at best other spin options would've offered the same with the ball as him, with a lot less with the bat/in the field. He did average 30 in the 3rd/4th innings, and 26 in the fourth specifically, and they could absolutely afford to carry him earlier in the game given they had Kallis and he made runs.
Starfighter
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I think Clive Eksteen has him beat there. Seven matches, eight wickets at 61. Didn't get runs either.
SeamUp
International Coach
A proper number 11. Basically bowled wicket to wicket with no turn. Guess bowling all your career as a spinner at The Wanderers it is a marvel he had such a long career. Makes what Alan Kourie did even better.
MrPrez
International Debutant
Cribb, I think I would agree with you if they hadn't put him at 8 in the batting line-up. It just makes no sense to do this if they don't intend on batting him at 8. And at the very least, the fact that it even crossed their mind to do it shows how little they back his batting.
If he'd been slated in at 6 or 7, I still would have been critical as he's not really good enough as a batsman to justify being picked as a btating all-rounder, but it would at least have made sense.
You may well be right that he bats at 7 (and I hope this is the case) but the reason for slotting Muthusamy in at 8 on the initial scorecard says a lot about the selectors attitudes towards him, imo.
If he'd been slated in at 6 or 7, I still would have been critical as he's not really good enough as a batsman to justify being picked as a btating all-rounder, but it would at least have made sense.
You may well be right that he bats at 7 (and I hope this is the case) but the reason for slotting Muthusamy in at 8 on the initial scorecard says a lot about the selectors attitudes towards him, imo.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Haha yeah I've just been working off the assumption that it was some sort of mind games, or Faf forgot him initially when writing down the team sheet, or something like that.
If he bats at 8 then it's just pure direness. Like there are even better spinners for the role if batting ahead of Philander isn't a requirement, let alone a batsman or a quick or a Mulder.
MrPrez
International Debutant
To be fair, I do think Muthusamy is good enough to bat at 7 in Tests, and the selectors rightfully see de Kock as a genuine top 6-level batsman. So essentially the 6-7 spots are strong enough for a Test team, and the selectors thought an additional spinner might be useful in India.
It's still a bad call, but at least there is something to be defended.
the big bambino
International Captain
I think Ngidi as the 3rd paceman would have been a better choice. If they wanted to strengthen the batting while playing 5 bowlers then Piedt should have been omitted, even if it would have made the remaining spin attack a bit samey.
StephenZA
Hall of Fame Member
I am not sure I agree that he is a good enough batsmen to bat at 7 in test match cricket.... but he certainly is not good enough to bowl in tests match cricket based off current performances. He appears to be a very good FC cricketing all-rounder.
SeamUp
International Coach
Muthusamy has always been a batsman first and foremost coming through age group levels for KZN. His bowling has been more successful at franchise level out the two but you got to take into account they play their games at Kingsmead and Pietermaritzburg. His A performances with the ball probably show the big jump with the ball in hand. If he was ever to get selection it would be with the bat and runs he scored but I just think he isn't quite talented enough to do that consistently compared to others. He does like to bat time because he probably doesn't have a large amount of attacking shots so hopefully that will come in handy here to bat time and save this game.
This selection was more the nice idea of a oooh a spinning all-rounder when in truth role definition just makes him an extra when we could have focused on better cricketers hopefully performing their roles.
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StephenZA
Hall of Fame Member
The really poor part of this, is if you accept that an all-rounder was required then why not pick Mulder? He is quality, and recently did the job with both bat and ball in the 'A' series. Then suddenly the selection is not poor and the whole makeup of the team makes sense.
Dendarii
International Debutant
Yeah, I'm not convinced either. He's too much of a bits-and-pieces all-rounder for me who doesn't make the side on either discipline alone, but does each of them just well enough to make the selectors think he's a reasonable option.
the big bambino
International Captain
If he comes in for say Senuran, do they run into quota problems?