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Is BK a viable test option


MCcricket

Can BK be a second seamer in tests  

23 members have voted

  1. 1. Will or can BK be effective as a second seamer in all conditions



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BK has been discussed here a lot and with some posters having the faith n believe that he can be India's match winner in test cricket.

To me he cannot be a match winner or a second bowler in most conditions except when it is seaming and also mostly when the ball is newish and that is very limiting.

Yes we can take him to Eng and SA and he can play as a third seamer in some tests where it is alot in favour of seamers in that particular track only.

Why can BK not be a effective bowler n most obvious reason is his lack of pace, being M/F and bowling initially at 130 to 137 in test and then his ave speed boarding at 125 to 132 K is not good enough to hurry batsmen and for all his skills even if he manages to reverse or seam the semi new ball he is too slow to be effective.So does a captain have an option like he would when Shami or Umesh is playing to bowl him at any time of the day and on any track and expect a wkt n the answer is no.

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Do me a favor - go check out his  test record till date.  What's his average?  And that's inspite of having a horrible series in Oz when he was coming back from his first major injury.  Not to mention his useful batting skills.    

 

Count me as a believer in Bhuvi.  Not a blind one - as much as I'm a Bhuvi fan - I was in full favor of benching him at Mohali and Vizag.  So there are cases where the improved version of Yadav is a better alternative - but those are few and far between.  And outside of Australian concrete roads - any overseas test match where we want to play 3 seamers - he's an automatic pick if fit.  

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Bhuvis figures are the best case scenario since he is picked for conditions ideally suited for him n instances when he was played on no seaming tracks he has come a cropper, what if we had a batter who could not bat against seamers, would we have him in our lineup , no because we need versatility, for Bhuvi that is what he lacks. Currently he is a one trick pony and even Pandya is more versatile as he can pin the batter on the back door with his 140 K bouncer n then bowl fuller one, All Bhuvi can do is pitch it up n hope to swing, so that is limited, he cannot use reverse swing, bounce or bowl short at all with his pace, at this point even Aaron, Ishant n Pandya are more versatile bowlers then BK.

Yes BK would be my pick as third seamer in limited venues in SA, NZ ,Eng n that could be maybe one or max 2 test per tour as third seamer n should not ever play as 2 seamer because he is in effective

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I guess New Zealand's the best place for him. And some pitches in England and SA. He's considered to be the best to exploit helpful conditions. It's good  for the team if he's  included on such pitches but its also unfair on the bowlers that get dropped by his inclusion. Anyways, I don't mind him playing on such tracks as the marginal benefit to the team would be more. Of course the team management needs to be mindful of this policy and be fair in assessing the performance of the bowlers through stats.

The other problem is that he hasn't really looked to work upon his weaknesses in the test format. In ODI's he's learnt to bowl yorkers and his pace has improved. But in tests he continues to bowl like an emaciated person and drops his pace to 125-133 in his latter spells. Would be impossible to be effective at reverse swing at that pace.

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His best is yet to come. I see him getting better on even flatter pitches contrary to people suggesting he should just stick to green pitches or when the conditions suit him etc.

 

We need to get used to Shami being out too often because he seems to me another gem bowler who is injury prone and don't be surprised if he keeps skipping test matches back and forth every series because such is his fitness.

 

We have to develop someone and I think Bhuvi to me is the one I will develop more than anyone or give more chances too. He is more consistent in his line than any other bowler I have seen in India barring Shami. Yes, his speed isn't that great compared to Umesh, but it isn't as bad as people make it out to be. With time, it is his skills which will make India win more matches and speed will follow through as he bowls more overs for India in test matches.

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7 minutes ago, Cricketics said:

His best is yet to come. I see him getting better on even flatter pitches contrary to people suggesting he should just stick to green pitches or when the conditions suit him etc.

 

We need to get used to Shami being out too often because he seems to me another gem bowler who is injury prone and don't be surprised if he keeps skipping test matches back and forth every series because such is his fitness.

 

We have to develop someone and I think Bhuvi to me is the one I will develop more than anyone or give more chances too. He is more consistent in his line than any other bowler I have seen in India barring Shami. Yes, his speed isn't that great compared to Umesh, but it isn't as bad as people make it out to be. With time, it is his skills which will India win more matches and speed will follow through as he bowls more overs for India in test matches.

Shami has not had too many njuries beyond that big one.

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9 minutes ago, Vijy said:

Shami has not had too many njuries beyond that big one.

Hopefully he doesn't because he is a top bowler and the best currently India have. But he limps on the field too many times in the middle of a test match. Some him in this series and against New Zealand.

 

Dcotors, physios can only push you so much, but eventually you got to take care of yourself. May be he is low on Vitamin D or something that he keeps getting these niggles.

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3 minutes ago, Cricketics said:

Hopefully he doesn't because he is a top bowler and the best currently India have. But he limps on the field too many times in the middle of a test match. Some him in this series and against New Zealand.

 

Dcotors, physios can only push you so much, but eventually you got to take care of yourself. May be he is low on Vitamin D or something that he keeps getting these niggles.

It's because he's somewhat bulky... puts pressure on his lower legs.

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3 minutes ago, Vijy said:

It's because he's somewhat bulky... puts pressure on his lower legs.

That is even worse for the knees. Knees will never get better, you can only protect it by giving some rest, which Shami should continue to have as his career goes on. Lower extremity includes knees and thigh region and even groin and hamstring, so better for him to work on those muscles over time and give ample amount of rest, especially to the knees for future.

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1 minute ago, Cricketics said:

That is even worse for the knees. Knees will never get better, you can only protect it by giving some rest, which Shami should continue to have as his career goes on. Lower extremity includes knees and thigh region and even groin and hamstring, so better for him to work on those muscles over time and give ample amount of rest, especially to the knees for future.

yes, dodgy knees...chepu also knee issues

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