Who will bowl with the relatively new ball?

Through the one-day series India has picked 3 medium pacers, one of whom has ended up going for plenty. Of course, once Ishant was included he was the chosen one. In his latter years when Kumble was still playing one-day cricket, then too India played 3 seamers plus the one spinner; the fifth bowler’s role tackled by part-timers.

Thus India’s attack lost out on either Kumble or Bhajji when playing teams like Australia and South Africa away from the sub-continent. The 2003 finals in South Africa, when the Aussies whipped 359 runs was against an attack sans Kumble; Zaheer going at over 9, Nehra at 8 plus runs per over.

Surprisingly it was the part-timers like Mongia, Yuvraj, Sehwag, Sachin who bowled 15 overs for 85 runs. Where as the three seamers went for 211 of their 27 overs.

That’s one game, but this is a pattern across India’s one-day games over the last few years. And if the part-timers(usually spinners), and there are always a few who can bowl 10 overs – why doesn’t India take the lead and start playing two specialist spinners as an attacking move?

That is, bowl them in the power plays – take pace off, challenge the batsmen to hit over the top when the field is in; these are cricket clichés, said often enough, but no Indian captain has been brave enough to play two specialist spinners.

It’ll be interesting to see how many one-dayers Bhajji and Kumble have played together; it’s time India realised you don’t need a home test series to play two specialist spinners; always play your best four or five bowlers.

For old time’s sake, I took another look at that India v Bangladesh scorecard in the 2007 world cup game; while the final scores do not give you a sense of the mauling, here too India played three seamers plus Bhajji.

Times like this you wonder, where did Kumble play his 271 one dayers, when did he take those 337 wickets, why wasn’t he good enough to be the fifth bowler?

Kumble played his last one dayer in March 2007, an inconsequential world cup game against Bermuda. He played his last test much later, in November, 2008. For the record, Bhajji did not play in that game, India bowled three seamers, and the fifth bowler’s role was split between Sachin and Sehwag.

Kumble’s one day bowling average was 30.89; Bhajji’s stands at 33.12.

Today, Bhajji is a first choice spinner while either Ojha and Mishra make the squad (but not the playing XI) depending what the flavour of the season is. Not long before both are dispensed with, and India turns to an old flame, Piyush Chawla. What better, he even bats as high as six for his Ranji team.


On Bored: batty about batting

Drop Harbhajan Singh five days at a time.

The Champions Trophy was a godsend for Indian cricket. Bhajji was dropped for a one day international, somehow replaced by Mishra. But unless Mishra knocked all ten and proved himself as an all-rounder, how could he take Bhajji’s place?

What, even Kumble couldn’t take Bhajji’s place – it was Bhajji who took Kumble’s place and then made it his own; the spinners’ spot was a rare family heirloom, handed down through generations.

There is a security cover on Bhajji; it extends beyond MSD and Sachin’s good wishes. It stretches beyond marketers. This cover protects him beyond lost form, from the promise of other spinners who threaten to outbowl him.

Now listen up Mishra, Ojha and Chawla: You can outbowl him, but you cannot replace him. Bhajji is a given. If you do not compete against his bowling, it will be his batting, his cheerleading, his hugs, Bhangara, drama, out of ideas, he will even sing Banarama.

Frankly the day Mishra took five at Mohali, I told myself, enjoy this, Indian cricket will ensure it doesn’t last. What little I saw of Ojha, I told myself the same.

Can you see Bhajji bowl, I refuse to now. Each time he bowls I see a corrupt nation stick its tongue out at me.

How else did he play six one day internationals against Australia after his Champions Trophy form? And when his so-called batting form evades him, he will make the team on some new quota.

Worse, I now doubt every Bhajji move, even though he moves well. That faulty reverse sweep against Murali, when India was nine down, and Mishra was more than holding his own, I have my views on that.

Just as you no doubt have yours; how MSD defends every below par Bhajji performance, their Hummers, newly forged business links – but look at it this way, we all love to play with friends.


On Bored: What better than being dropped on your birthday

Headless, headless, headless.

This was a poor game for India. Not because they lost, but because they refused to win. From MSD’s wait until dark captaincy, to the exclusion of Ojha, and not least, expecting new kid, Ravindra Jadeja to win the game. While the Gods of Indian cricket, MSD and Yuvraj waited to score the winning runs. If twenty overs is too much time to play, how will the super stars pass their time in a one-dayer or for that matter, those stinking test matches?

India lost the game many times over, here’s how

1. Drop your main striker Ojha against a team that needs a spin doctor

2. Retain Ishant Sharma, who brings with him KKR’s losing ways

3. Exclude one of your few thinking bowlers, Praveen Kumar

4. Underbowl your best bowler RP Singh (3-0-13-1)

5. Underbowl your bowling captain Zaheer Khan (3-0-26-1)

6. Underbowl Yusuf Pathan (0-0-0-0) Move away from the only attacking move you’ve learnt in a long time, MSD, and not bring on spin in the power play overs. Did Warne advise you against it? Did KP tell Warne to

7. Overbowl Ishant Sharma (4-0-36-0)

8. Overbowl Yuvraj Singh (2-0-20-0)

9. Send Jadeja in at 4 – MSD, it was your call, don’t pass the buck with "too many wickets fell.." Finally, India lost 5 to England's 7

10. Scrambled eggs for thinking tank

11. England bowled short

12. India waited too long


(The Neil Young song, Helpless ringing in my ear, but it sounds like Headless)


Enjoy the Bye Bye T20WC series at Bored Cricket Crazy Indians!