Praveen Kumar - Respect

[Teja.]

I reckon he's defo actually 24. Comes from a (impoverished)family of wrestlers so that'd add to his ruggedness, perhaps, making him look older.

 

[silentstriker]

Yeah, will have to have some humble pie here. Has been a genuinely herculean effort from the suspiciously aged-looking twenty four year old today.

When he gets it wrong he looks so awful I still can't quite bring myself to say I was wrong, but has gone a lot better than I thought possible based on what I saw of him in the Caribbean.

Pfft. I'd sooner believe his kids are 24.

TBF, unlike in Pakistan there are many fewer who have dodgy ages reported for India.

Deffo looks older though.

 

[Howe_zat]

Was being flippant itbt.

 

[oitoitoi]

I think hangover type stubble makes all blokes look older, I still look about 15 when clean shaven. Wouldn't surprise me if he turned out to be a bit older, but I think when they start playing international cricket the ICC's pretty strict about accurate ages these days. Anyway top effort, proven what every decent coach knows, swing get's good players out more than pace, hence Brett Lee averaged over 30.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Great find for India. The ball that took out Trott was bloody good. How does he generate so much swing at such little pace, is it the wrist position or is it to do with something else.

I thought he looked 30 but if he says he is 24 than I will take his word for it because I was one of the people who believed Amir was 17.

 

[slowfinger]

Great find for India. The ball that took out Trott was bloody good. How does he generate so much swing at such little pace, is it the wrist position or is it to do with something else.

I thought he looked 30 but if he says he is 24 than I will take his word for it because I was one of the people who believed Amir was 17.

I believed Afridi was 28 aswell

 

[oitoitoi]

Well in fairness no one's disproved that amir was 17, though I have to say I didn't believe any 17 year old could bowl 80mph+. People expect him to come back, wonder how much of his potential will have been wasted. I don't see any problem with Afridi's age, he certainly behaves like a child

 

[angad]

I think hangover type stubble makes all blokes look older, I still look about 15 when clean shaven.

He doesnt look serious with a nicely trimmed 5 o'clock shadow -

Shaggy beard makes him look homeless and mature.

In neat, attractive and well-groomed beard he looks good -

 

[Neil Pickup]

Great find for India. The ball that took out Trott was bloody good. How does he generate so much swing at such little pace, is it the wrist position or is it to do with something else.

I thought he looked 30 but if he says he is 24 than I will take his word for it because I was one of the people who believed Amir was 17.

That doesn't make a dramatic amount of sense as it's usually the 75-80mph bowlers that generate the most swing, and we've all seen club bowlers sending them down at 60 getting extravagant movement... I've seen kids bowling at 35/40 getting big hoop.

But yeah, wrist position one would imagine.

 

[Daemon]

Thought the English batsmen were doing pretty well to cope with him, and despite that he picked up 5 wickets. If he can do this against England he can pretty much do it against any team on his day.

Now the only thing that remains is how he copes on flat decks, where hopefully his FC experience will come into play.

 

[Agent Nationaux]

That doesn't make a dramatic amount of sense as it's usually the 75-80mph bowlers that generate the most swing, and we've all seen club bowlers sending them down at 60 getting extravagant movement... I've seen kids bowling at 35/40 getting big hoop.

But yeah, wrist position one would imagine.

Don't mind my lack of cricketing knowledge, as I have seriously picked up cricket only recently, before which I was just a casual watcher.

I guess that explains why Steyn bowls slower when using the new ball as compared with the old.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I thought he looked 30 but if he says he is 24 than I will take his word for it because I was one of the people who believed Amir was 17.

Amir looked closer to 17 than Kumar does to 24 for my money.

Might just look old for his age, obviously; some people do. However I was genuinely surprised was only 24. I assumed he was one of those old salts who'd been around the domestic scene forever before finally getting the call to the national team.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

Amir looked closer to 17 than Kumar does to 24 for my money.

Might just look old for his age, obviously; some people do. However I was genuinely surprised was only 24. I assumed he was one of those old salts who'd been around the domestic scene forever before finally getting the call to the national team.

It's not difficult to fake your age in the Indian ranks. A lot of U-17, U-19 and other age group players are comfortably 3 or 4 years older than what ages they provide. Such affidavits can be obtained quite easily. I imagine the case is similar for other sub-continental nations too.


Back to the topic, respect for PK. I always had confidence that he would do well in English conditions. On a personal note, I am very happy that a bowler who bowls in the mid-late 70s and relies on swinging the ball has been successful. The lad had been written off by a lot of people even before the test series started. It just goes to emphasise that top pace without direction and bowling acumen is perhaps viewed too leniently. That SHOULD NOT be the case. Bowlers must be gauged on merit and by no means does greater pace equate to greater potential. Other factors are just as important, if not more.

Go, swing bowlers!

 

[Agent Nationaux]

It's not difficult to fake your age in the Indian ranks. A lot of U-17, U-19 and other age group players are comfortably 3 or 4 years older than what ages they provide. Such affidavits can be obtained quite easily. I imagine the case is similar for other sub-continental nations too.


Back to the topic, respect for PK. I always had confidence that he would do well in English conditions. On a personal note, I am very happy that a bowler who bowls in the mid-late 70s and relies on swinging the ball has been successful. The lad had been written off by a lot of people even before the test series started. It just goes to emphasise that top pace without direction and bowling acumen is perhaps viewed too leniently. That SHOULD NOT be the case. Bowlers must be gauged on merit and by no means does greater pace equate to greater potential. Other factors are just as important, if not more.

Go, swing bowlers!

I understand what you are saying, but if it came down to it I would always prefer to watch an Akhtar rather than a Kumar.

 

[Cevno]

It is not that easy to fake age at this level in India these days.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

It is not that easy to fake age at this level in India these days.

Not sure, but certainly was the case about 7 or 8 years back.

2004 Baroda U-17 squad: 10 of the guys were 18 years or older. Rest were legitimate. And the oldest was in the M.S.Univ. doing B.Com (3rd year). Everyone in the circuit knew it. Do your math!

Am pretty sure that 6 of those guys later made it to the U-19 squad, so the blemish continued.

A few of these guys are actively pursuing f/c cricket as a career. Therefore, you would appreciate that I cannot reveal names here. Regardless, they were very good cricketers and on merit, certainly deserved their place.

 

[Outswinger@Pace]

I understand what you are saying, but if it came down to it I would always prefer to watch an Akhtar rather than a Kumar.

I understand that. Personally, I would watch a pure swing bowler like Alderman or Kumar over an out-and-out pace bowling guy with no ball skills. Akhtar doesn't quite fit the bill because he was very clever (as a bowler) and could reverse it beautifully.

Praveen Kumar vs. Nantie Hayward. I'd watch Kumar any day.

 

[Hurricane]

Amir looked closer to 17 than Kumar does to 24 for my money.

Might just look old for his age, obviously; some people do. However I was genuinely surprised was only 24. I assumed he was one of those old salts who'd been around the domestic scene forever before finally getting the call to the national team.

Maybe Kumar is confused about how old he is.

 

[Cevno]

There were doubts raise in some quarters about Piyush Chawla,Munaf and VRV Singh too.Nothing proved though. Actually i believe age test is compulsory at U19 level these days.

 

[Cruxdude]

Wonderful bowling by him. Without him India would have been staring at a much more massive total. Would be interesting to see him bowl in India considering the lesser swing available.

Also don't understand why Dhoni either has to be up to the stumps or right back for PK. Surely coming up a couple of steps would do good.