Praveen Kumar

[Teja.]

Just read his interview from yesterday's paper. Excerpts:

You last played for India in 2012. Do you believe you were short-changed?

I never thought that my Test career will end only after six games despite doing well. I can’t understand it, neither have I found anything bad in my bowling that I couldn’t play Test cricket even at home.

Did you ever discuss your omission with any of your teammates or selectors?

I never asked anybody about it. When we I was in the team I always used to discuss my bowling with Zak (Zaheer Khan) but we never spoke about selection. My aim was to concentrate on performing. To date, I’m not sure why I was dropped.

Coming back to your bowling, have you ever questioned why you haven’t played Test cricket again?

I don’t know. I have never shied away from bowling long spells or whatever the team wanted me to do. I remember when Zaheer bhai got injured in England (2011 tour), Dhoni came to me and said, ‘PK lamba spell dalega?’ I agreed immediately. A fauji (foot soldier) has to obey his commander. I always have bowled long spells, from ever since I can remember. When we were young, nobody wanted to be a bowler. So those of us who did bowled for the entire day.

Link

The guy has been a legend in domestic cricket for the last decade and was awesome at test level despite being forced to lead the attack in his second test series, when we were away from home and getting thrashed in England. He has 27 wickets in 6 games @ 25.8 at test level. He also took 6-59 (match) v. Madhya Pradesh last week. In fairness, he has been plagued by injuries and has played a limited amount of FC cricket over the last two years but he's an incredible talent IMO and India can't afford to not squeeze out everything they can from him.

Considering his bowling style, Fletcher probably won't be a big fan of him but considering the Bhuv is basically a much lesser effective/accurate version of Praveen, you never know. Can hold a bat too.

 

[cnerd123]

He's only 28. I think he could make a comeback provided he proves his fitness. But you never really know with the Indian selectors.

The BCCI, selectors and Ravi Shastri have done a lot to turn me away from supporting India tbh. IDK how much longer I can stand by them.

 

[BoyBrumby]

He's only 28. I think he could make a comeback provided he proves his fitness. But you never really know with the Indian selectors.

The BCCI, selectors and Ravi Shastri have done a lot to turn me away from supporting India tbh. IDK how much longer I can stand by them.

Kid must've had a very hard paper round, is all I'll say.

When he was up here and officially 24 he looked a good decade older even then.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Wasn't there some news about some referee calling him "mentally unfit for the game"?

 

[cnerd123]

Wasn't there some news about some referee calling him "mentally unfit for the game"?

Match referee calls pacer Praveen Kumar mentally unfit in its report to BCCI : Cricket, News - India Today

In his report to the board, match referee Dhananjay Singh made the shocking remark as he charged the bowler with level-2 and level-4 offences which suggest that he was reported for misbehaving with the umpires.

Singh said Kumar loses his cool at the slightest provocation and is abusive, not only towards the opposition but also his own team mates.

However, Kumar defended himself responding to a text message from Headlines Today, denying any wrongdoing and claiming that there was not much in the incident.


Read more at: Match referee calls pacer Praveen Kumar mentally unfit in its report to BCCI : Cricket, News - India Today

India Cricket Features: Whose problem is Praveen Kumar? | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[Jono]

He's only 28. I think he could make a comeback provided he proves his fitness. But you never really know with the Indian selectors.

The BCCI, selectors and Ravi Shastri have done a lot to turn me away from supporting India tbh. IDK how much longer I can stand by them.

India now is surely so much more promising compared to India 2011-2012. New talent coming through and competitive in matches, even if they capitulate to lose from good positions.

 

[Jono]

On Praveen, was a huge fan. Loved what he did in England. But if he's a nut case, then what ya gonna do? Didn't he beat the **** out of a fan?

 

[cnerd123]

India now is surely so much more promising compared to India 2011-2012. New talent coming through and competitive in matches, even if they capitulate to lose from good positions.

Yea, but when you factor in the Big 3 bullying, stubborn selection policies, and now Shastri as team director...urrghh.

TBH I don't mind if Praveen's a bit crazy. Aren't all good fast bowlers slightly nutty? Maybe the fear of incurring his wrath might see Virat finally hold a ****ing catch in the slips.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Match referee calls pacer Praveen Kumar mentally unfit in its report to BCCI : Cricket, News - India Today

Yeah that was it. Praveen is genuinely good test level bowler and was the only one along with Dravid who didn't embarrass himself in England. But he's had a couple of weird incidents which obviously make selecting him a bit difficult. Hope he's considered again*because while he looks as old as Alan Davidson, he's still got it and will be the best bowler in the team by a distance if he comes in.

 

[Cabinet96]

Always assumed he was the victim of millions deciding that Indian seamers had to go at at least four an over and bowl above 140k after the tour of England in 11 because pace rules.

 

[eroticfishcake]

saw him bowling in a domestic match a few days ago,has aged horribly,and had an average speed of 120.5 kmph

 

[Pratters]

Has temperament issues. I saw him in some games a year or so ago in the IPL and he was behaving just weird. Now, Indian bowlers give send offs but he seemed a bit of a loose cannon the way he was reacting to shots being hit off him and all, from what I recall.

 

[Furball]

On Praveen, was a huge fan. Loved what he did in England. But if he's a nut case, then what ya gonna do? Didn't he beat the **** out of a fan?

Was there not some sort of firearms offence as well?

inb4praveenisactuallysilentstriker

 

[Furball]

Also, let's not go nuts over how good he might have been, yes he bowled better than his team-mates in 2011 but I'm pretty sure Webster's dictionary uses that to define the term "damning with faint praise."

 

[silentstriker]

Was there not some sort of firearms offence as well?

inb4praveenisactuallysilentstriker

I resent that. I don't look nearly as old as Praveen Kumar.

 

[Teja.]

Also, let's not go nuts over how good he might have been, yes he bowled better than his team-mates in 2011 but I'm pretty sure Webster's dictionary uses that to define the term "damning with faint praise."

Rate him on the basis of watching him bowl in FC and LO cricket for several hundred overs on some absolute pancakes and not his handful of test matches tbh.

 

[Daemon]

He got injured for a long time after England right? Then that headbutting incident popped up and he just faded away. Indian selectors suck.

 

[Daemon]

For those who want to watch how he's bowling - The Board Of Control For Cricket In India

It doesn't look too inspiring tbph. White hairs in his beard and sending them down at 110kph.. I don't know. He could be up for Test cricket but it sure as hell doesn't seem like it.

 

[BoyBrumby]

TBF he was never much more than military medium in his brief pomp, was he? Generally sub 75mph.

 

[Daemon]

A bit quicker but not by much really. It's hard to know how he'll fare in Tests now because of the way Indian batsmen **** themselves at the slightest hint of swing.