May 12, 2010

Why India did not play a leg spinner against the West Indies

1. Because Australia was going to anyway. They played Steven Smith. What did Smith do – he did Pollard.

12.3 85.9 kph, gone! Lovely piece of bowling from Smith, he's turned the ball just past the bat of Pollard, who is trying to get forward and work through leg, and Haddin whips the bails off, no need for the third umpire there 77/6

A few weeks back in the IPL, one anonymous leg spinner, a guy called, whatshisname Ladda was picked by the defending semi finalists, Delhi Daredevils. He bowled his first over of the match, the 18th – to Pollard. Pollard miss-timed a few but got them over the ropes anyway. Ladda did not bowl the 20th.

That was Gambhir’s captaincy. Something that’s rubbed off Dhoni. Gambhir at least bowls Mishra, Dhoni rather bowl batsmen.

2. Why India did not play a leg spinner against the West Indies
This was not the Hero Cup, this was the Losers’ Cup and India had to defend their early exit in the last edition – that was no fluke.

3. Why India did not play a leg spinner against the West Indies
Anil Kumble and Hirwani have retired.

4. Why India did not play a leg spinner against the West Indies
Piyush Chawla refused to have his head bandaged – not like Kumble who had an open mind, head…

5. Why India did not play a leg spinner against the West Indies
Refer to 1. If India played a leggie, that would prepare the Windies for the Aussie game, and for India to advance to the semis it was imperative that Australia beat the Windies.

12.4 85.6 kph, first ball! Smith is on a hat-trick! Tossed up on leg and turning back to off, Sammy has gone for the drive but straight back to the bowler, who takes a good catch 77/7

Steven Smith was Man of the match

6. Why India did not play a leg spinner against the West Indies
It was wrong enough to pick Chawla to play him would have been wronger

7. Why India did not play a leg spinner against the West Indies
At 21 years, 139 days, international debut more than 4 years’ back, long periods out of the team, Chawla is jaded and not the bowler he once was – whereas Smith, 20 years 344 days, made his debut earlier this year. He’s a farm fresh leg spinner, not even the Windies' videos know how to play him.

8. Why India did not play a leg spinner against the West Indies
Beats me, and it beats India too.


On Bored: India is over and out of the World Twenty20 + MSD: Mahi, Sex aur Dhoka

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Honestly, I have been watching the Indians not pick Chawla and scratching my head in amazement. We play Smith because we don't have proper spin bowlers (Hauritz was dead in the water after letting the Aussies bash him around in the warm-up match). What the hell is the Indian team's excuse?

Purna said...

I love number 8.

Gaurav Sethi said...

Hi Lou, they'll find a way to blame the IPL parties.

Gaurav Sethi said...

8 it is, cheers Purna

acommonfan said...

Because they couldn't play two guys from the IPL team which finished last.

And because they suddenly realized that Chawla shouldn't have been selected in the first place.

And because they wanted to save Chawla as a surprise weapon for the final

And because Chawla isn't a good batsman. If we played him we couldn't have played with 8 batsmen.

And because Chawla was constantly beating Dhoni in the nets and the skipper wanted to teach him a lesson

Gaurav Sethi said...

ACF, Like the first one; but little did they realise one guy from that IPL team was enough.