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

Little Lalit (After India lost to the Windies)

Eureka!! Let's have a little IPL when they get back

Two teams at sea.

One keeps losing
the other keeps from winning
Two loser teams
East and West
the twain have met
Let's have a series
we all regret.



No, there isn't much to read or write on this series. Then again you can wade across to Bored at Sea. Be well worth the swim. Even if the series isn't.

Who do you play for Dwayne Bravo

Were you handpicked by Sachin Tendulkar’s eye
To play for the Mumbai Indians, sigh!
Were you handpicked by Brian Lara’s eye
To play for the West Indies, sigh!

There are no heroes, there are no heroes left
Where you come from, where you come from, bereft
You can either be in or you can be out
But you know kid, what it is
What it is to hit inside out

Who do you play for
Who do you play for Dwayne Bravo
Do you play for yourself
Do you play for victory
Do you play for yourself
Do you play for the zone
The highlight zone

It’ll take more than a Twenty20 innings
To gather enough drive for long term winnings
You guys, you don’t matter,
Not as a cricketing nation
Not even as a half way filling station

Who do you play for
Trinidad or Tobago?
Who do you play for
Mumbai or the Indians?
Who do you play for?
West or the Indies?
Who do you play for
The ball or the bat

Who do you play for
Dwayne Bravo



Also read What were you thinking Bravo?