How to counter Amir's opening spell

[Pak_cric]

6 hours ago, Cricketics said:

 

 

My two cents @prudent_kreeda

 

Straight Bat Straight Bat Straight Bat 

 

Our openers all through out this tournament have started slow and have been watchfull barring this game against Pak because the moment probabaly got better of them.

 

 

I will give my two cents from what I have learned after playing cricket regularly from past 12 years at a higher level.

 

Recently Amir has been struggling to get wickets if anyone followed Pakistan's games. He had bowled well in Australia but was unlucky at times with catches dropped or that his spells were played with straight bat. He got wickets against us because he bowled wel but we also fell for his swing and at times by his pace.

 

 

The best time for him to bowl is the first 3-4 overs when the ball is swinging. Our openers lacked the ability to rotate with the straight bat. A left arm seamer will always not like someone "tapping" and taking a run of his bowling.

 

This is what Dhawan and Rohit failed to do and this what Kohli also could not do before he edged the 2nd time and got out.

 

Bowlers hate when a batsman who has been beaten by him, takes a quick single by tapping.  Had Dhawan and Rohit succeeded in doing that they would have changed Amir's line who would have tried to bow a different line in search of wickets, plus on top of this, the frustration of changing the field for a right-left combo is massive.

 

 

Here are the dismissals

 

Dhawan

 Dhawan here should have clearly played with a straighter bat or looked to leave that ball. A well-left was ideal which he did not do. It was a good ball to leave.  Also a straight bat shot or defense would have earned him a four or a single 

 

 

Kohli

Check this Kohli's wicket. He is kind of getting square and trying to play it down mid wicket or near cow corner region. But the ball could have been easily driven straight or dropped short with a straight bat for a quick single. This is what Sehwg was doing a lot with Gambhir earlier a lot. 

 

What Kohli did is what we call "cross" shot. Kohli played across and felt for it. Ball was not on the leg which be thought and should have played straight.

 

Important - Kohli should have taken leg stump guard for Aamir and exposed his off stump which would have made it easier for him to tackle that ball drifting down off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rohit's wicket.

 

Again here, this is where one can say the face of the bat wasn't there. Beaten a bit by pace and was a casual shot. He looks lethargic in this. 

 

He was trying to flick too early and in the end the bat came late. Best way to flick is to  bring the bat straight and then rotate it. Rohit did not do either and was found plumb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rohit was beaten the movement inwards, not so much by the pace. The ball previous to this one was angled away.

Edited June 21, 2017 by Pak_cric