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Match-ups are important - Rahul Dravid on Axar bowling just one over


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Posted

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/matchups-are-important-rahul-dravid-explains-reason-behind-axar-patel-bowling-only-one-over-in-3rd-ind-sa-odi-101664959867869.html

 

Head coach Rahul Dravid was questioned by the media over Axar Patel getting just one over to bowl, in the match against South Africa that India lost by 49 runs.

Axar Patel has been the star performer for Team India in the absence of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. The 28-year old has been the go-to bowler for captain Rohit Sharma for picking wickets and was selected as player of the series in the T20I series against Australia. However, the left arm spinner bowled just one over in the third T20I against South Africa and the tactics immediately drew the ire of cricket experts.

 

Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw, two left-handed batters, were batting in the middle and India didn't use Patel against them. The Proteas batters stitched 90-run stand for the 2nd wicket and helped post the total to 227/3.

Head coach Rahul Dravid was questioned by the media over Patel getting just one over to bowl, in the match that India lost by 49 runs. One mediaperson raised eyebrows over Team India's reliance on match-ups during bowling and Dravid responded without mincing words.

"Match-ups are important, they are important to us. Whether they are more important or not, it's for you guys to dig deep and look at what stats tell you about match-ups, about numbers of left-hand batsmen against left-arm spin. Maybe you might get some answers to that," said Dravid.

"A lot of teams use match-ups, not only us. Like us, a lot of other teams look and delve into stats, into numbers. I think if you dwell on some of those numbers, you might get some answers. I would really request you to maybe look at some of those numbers, deeply, as deeply as we do," he added.

Going by recent matches, it seems Patel will have an important role to play as an all-rounder in the upcoming T20 World Cup. When Rishabh Pant doesn't play, he serves as the only left-handed batting option for the men in blue. India might use him in the role that Jadeja played during the Asia Cup 2022 against Pakistan where he batted up the order to negotiate left-arm spin.

 

 

 

Posted

There was a discussion going on in the commentary box on this. Ravi bot, Murali kartik. Ravi bot didn't waste time attacking this strategy. "Then an off spinner shouldn't be bowling to right hander". 

Posted
8 minutes ago, Prabhdeep Singh said:

They are restricting a players potential by using this match up argument.

 

What match up would you use aginst V Sehwag for example, he would destroy any spinner.

 

Similrly a spinner could not be just restricted to bowling either to right handed or left handed. If he is a good spinner he should be able to bowl to both.

 

Klassen obliterated Chahal more than once. A right hander vs Leggie. On paper match up is good. But it never works.  Same way in the IPL NItish Rana struggles against left arm spin but clobbers off spin

Posted
17 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

Alright we get it. Then why play him against a side that has several left handers in the first place?  Riley, QDK, Miller, Parnell. So only scenario he could bowl was when bavuma batting with Stubbs or Markram

 

One RHB on crease is enough. Problem was Ashwin couldn't get them out too.

Posted
3 minutes ago, Lord said:

Would have been bashed if Axar bowled and got smacked too.

 

But why play him in the first place. Opener is a leftie. one down is a leftie. no.5 is also a leftie. Odds of him bowling to leftie was always high.

Posted
3 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

One RHB on crease is enough. Problem was Ashwin couldn't get them out too.

 

Stubbs played for a long time.  But Axar didn't bowl. They were worried about Russow massacring him.

Posted
Just now, vvvslaxman said:

 

But why play him in the first place. Opener is a leftie. one down is a leftie. no.5 is also a leftie. Odds of him bowling to leftie was always high.

 

allrounder. Other option is Chahal with same problem.

Posted
Just now, Lord said:

 

allrounder. Other option is Chahal with same problem.

 

He is not all rounder atleast in T20. He is a bowler who can hit some length balls on a good day.  He didn't really do anything with the bat. In a real world T20 match scenario this would have been  viewed as an epic blunder.  So basically one can assume Axar won't play against SA at Perth. Klassen owns Chahal. Ashwin in his twilight of his career. He can get away with 4 overs 40 run spell. That's it.  3 useless spinners against SA. 

Posted
10 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

 

Klassen obliterated Chahal more than once. A right hander vs Leggie. On paper match up is good. But it never works.  Same way in the IPL NItish Rana struggles against left arm spin but clobbers off spin

These are exceptions, not norm. 

Posted
Just now, rkt.india said:

These are exceptions, not norm. 

 

Unforunately our team will face that exception. Chahal vs 3 left handers plus Klassen. With 64 meter straight boundaries he is more than likely to be castrated.

Posted
2 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

 

He is not all rounder atleast in T20. He is a bowler who can hit some length balls on a good day.  He didn't really do anything with the bat. In a real world T20 match scenario this would have been  viewed as an epic blunder.  So basically one can assume Axar won't play against SA at Perth. Klassen owns Chahal. Ashwin in his twilight of his career. He can get away with 4 overs 40 run spell. That's it.  3 useless spinners against SA. 

 

He is, direct replacement of Jaddu. Bats at 7 and sometimes even 6. Doesn't have to do it every game.

 

Ashwin will play v SA. If pitch requires another spinner, it should be Axar not Chahal.

Posted
2 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

He is, direct replacement of Jaddu. Bats at 7 and sometimes even 6. Doesn't have to do it every game.

 

Ashwin will play v SA. If pitch requires another spinner, it should be Axar not Chahal.

 

On the actual day of the match we end up running into a well set Russsow and QDK. Axar's bowling will become totally useless. You might as well have played a proper batsman in his place.  I am a bit  uncomfortable carrying a bowler who may not complete his full quota in certain scenarios.

Posted
12 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

 

But why play him in the first place. Opener is a leftie. one down is a leftie. no.5 is also a leftie. Odds of him bowling to leftie was always high.

Plus, if one leftie and one rightie are playing and the rightie is also known to be weak against left arm spin, which matchup takes prioritiy?  All it takes is a single taken in the first ball of the over to turn the argument on its head.

Posted
Just now, vvvslaxman said:

 

On the actual day of the match we end up running into a well set Russsow and QDK. Axar's bowling will become totally useless. You might as well have played a proper batsman in his place.  I am a bit  uncomfortable carrying a bowler who may not complete his full quota in certain scenarios.

 

 

Many bowlers are there who won't complete quota in various scenarios. 

 

That;s why we need 6 bowling options.

Posted
1 minute ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

Plus, if one leftie and one rightie are playing and the rightie is also known to be weak against left arm spin, which matchup takes prioritiy?  All it takes is a single taken in the first ball of the over to turn the argument on its head.

 

This is just a sample from the think tank. Not sure how many such theories are in place. It is almost like the squad was picked based on theories.

Posted
Just now, Lord said:

 

 

Many bowlers are there who won't complete quota in various scenarios. 

 

That;s why we need 6 bowling options.

 

In Axar's case if they implement the theory 90% he won't complete the quota at Perth. Only exception is he somehow picks a wicket

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