Why does Bhaji get so much stick?

[Lord]

Mendis will trouble anyone who is playing him for the first time. I wont even name the batsmen who have struggled before him at first few goes . . . there are some real sacred cows there . . . . :-)

Vijay wasnt playing him for the first time.he played him in Zim ODI series

[saneindian]

After learning to slog for IPL, Vijay isn;t the same batsman which he was when he made his debut. Looked classy and made batting look so easy. Post IPL and the subsequent t20 and ODI failures, he looks tense and his technique looks ungainly. Yet the fact that he was good enough to score a 50 would mean that he will retian his place in the team as a reserve opener. I hope he uses that time to iron out the deficiencies that have creeped in his technique. He should go back to his old self when he was a fluent driver of the ball and the V was his favortie area of scoring. Now a days he tries to hit everything on the leg side, doesn't move the feet much. He is a batsman made to succeed in test cricket and should be played in ODIs only after he has established himself in the longer format.

[Fontaine]

The problem the Indian selectors are going to face is not that Bhajji is looking less threatening with each series but that there do not seem to be any great replacements around. Unfortunate it is also true that a newcomer is never going to be given as much rope to make good as they would give to a veteran going through a bad patch. Murali Karthik is a case in point. One is not making a case for him to be the one to replace Bhajji at this stage but just highlighting a point. Someone like Murali would never be given an extended run in Tests inspite of it being clear that he had all the basics in place. If we do come across another youngster like Murali now, we need to persevere with him for we do not have the luxury of a Kumble and a Harbhajan to quickly revert to after a Test or two of less than earth shattering start to a young career.

Your post has merits but I don't view it the same way. Bhajji should be dropped not because there's clearly a better spin option out there (although with time, as you said, if we properly develop and be patient with a young spinner then who knows?). Bhajji should be dropped: 1. because for a while now he's not doing anything that any other spinner like Kartik/Mishra cannot do which is take wickets on 4/5th day wickets on turning tracks and otherwise look ordinary. 2. And secondly being dropped from the side will force him to either really work on his skills and thus improve as a test bowler to how we know he can bowl when on top of his game or he'll fade away and not give that special effort required to get back to his best. Either way it's NOT about Harbhajan. It's about what's best for the team. And right now consistently over bowling a struggling spinner who looks very ordinary is definitely not good for the team and the prospects of taking 20 wickets. I'm not concerned with expectations. I'm driven by results and when a player hasn't perform consistently then options like dropping him should be explored. Not to mention that Kartik has the skill and experience in first class conditions in England to be do at least bowl slightly better than Bhajji right now. The FACT is that the team is already forced to look at other spin options because Sehwag is being used so much in this tour because Bhajji has been useless so we already are playing with the mentality that Bhajji is not going to take wickets.

[doubt]

why does Bhajji get so much stick? bcoz in my book he is a mediocre bowler (but better than the current ones we have) , somehow got all the hype undeservedly.

[putrevus]

Your post has merits but I don't view it the same way. Bhajji should be dropped not because there's clearly a better spin option out there (although with time, as you said, if we properly develop and be patient with a young spinner then who knows?). Bhajji should be dropped: 1. because for a while now he's not doing anything that any other spinner like Kartik/Mishra cannot do which is take wickets on 4/5th day wickets on turning tracks and otherwise look ordinary. 2. And secondly being dropped from the side will force him to either really work on his skills and thus improve as a test bowler to how we know he can bowl when on top of his game or he'll fade away and not give that special effort required to get back to his best. Either way it's NOT about Harbhajan. It's about what's best for the team. And right now consistently over bowling a struggling spinner who looks very ordinary is definitely not good for the team and the prospects of taking 20 wickets. I'm not concerned with expectations. I'm driven by results and when a player hasn't perform consistently then options like dropping him should be explored. Not to mention that Kartik has the skill and experience in first class conditions in England to be do at least bowl slightly better than Bhajji right now. The FACT is that the team is already forced to look at other spin options because Sehwag is being used so much in this tour because Bhajji has been useless so we already are playing with the mentality that Bhajji is not going to take wickets.

When did karthik become better bowler than Bhajji, how will skills and experience of playing in England help him do better in sub-continent.Yes he is far better bowler than Ohja and he should be given a chance.Ohja simply is not wicket taker and he needs more seasoning. It is easy to blame Bhajji, we saw Murali struggle to even bowl a maiden when he last played in India but same Murali ran thru India batting line up.so what changed . Idiots like Manjerkar who had nerve to say Randiv is better bowler than Bhajji.Everybody was eager to run Kumble out of side for fricking Mishra.We all are seeing what happened Mishra is fat sob who along with Ohja have no inclination or desire to be stay fit. Bhajji has his issues but he is better than anyone we got and we should not push him out like we pushed kumble out.

[Fontaine]

I didn't say Kartik was better than Bhajji. I said that in his recent form and how badly Bhajji struggles in Sri Lanka (averaging more than 73 before this tour started with a much worse strike rate) that Kartik can't do any worse than him. It's about current form and how he's struggling now rather than potential and hype.

[Ranjha]

lol at the suggestions of replacing bhajji with powars, karthiks, lallus and panjus..lolll Let the second spinner bowl consistently along him in the tests and when he starts outperforming bhajji regularly and winning more matches, then it will be the time to replace bhajji with another spinner as well.

[Ranjha]

and people saying sl spinners bowling to worlds best batsmen...well jaya and sanga in home conditions are no mugs with the bat.

[saneindian]

I didn't say Kartik was better than Bhajji. I said that in his recent form and how badly Bhajji struggles in Sri Lanka (averaging more than 73 before this tour started with a much worse strike rate) that Kartik can't do any worse than him. It's about current form and how he's struggling now rather than potential and hype.

Bhajji in Sri Lanka, 9 tests, 24 wickets@47 Kumble in Sri Lanka 9 tests, 30 wickets@45 Are you sure you looked at the correct stats?

[Robin Hood]

Looks like danish kaneria will overtake bhajji at this rate.that would be a shame.

[The Outsider]

Bhajji in Sri Lanka, 9 tests, 24 wickets@47 Kumble in Sri Lanka 9 tests, 30 wickets@45 Are you sure you looked at the correct stats?

You're right. 73 is in Australia, 56 in South Africa, 47 in Sri Lanka, and Infinity in Pakistan.

[putrevus]

I didn't say Kartik was better than Bhajji. I said that in his recent form and how badly Bhajji struggles in Sri Lanka (averaging more than 73 before this tour started with a much worse strike rate) that Kartik can't do any worse than him. It's about current form and how he's struggling now rather than potential and hype.

If i am not wrong the reason bhajji struggles, I remember him saying how he does not get proper grip on Kokkaburra ball which is used in SL.But Bhajji needs to grow up and he needs to put more effort to work with Kokkaburra. Same with Murali he also says he doesnt get same purchase with SG ball which is used in India.

[King Tendulkar]

Watch Randiv's feet at the point of delivery and compare that to Bhajji. Also note how the ball comes out of Randiv's hand from a much higher trajectory and at least on a couple of occasions he's caught the batsmen off guard with extra bounce off the pitch. Bhajji bowled to many rubbish deliveries with his arm dragging the ball down instead of looping it up. This guy is showing how you're supposed to bowl on these types of pitches backed up by some super aggressive fields. If this kid can look so much better than Bhajji in just a couple of sessions on the same pitch then it's high time Bhajji earn his test spot. Get Murali Kartik in the team.

Yeah well bowled Randiv. 150 up:two_thumbs_up: Should bhaji still keep taking notes on Randivs bowling:--D

[Ranjha]

Srilankan spinners on fire lollllll.

[saneindian]

Ranidv gets a double 100. Oh yeah Bhajji is crap and Randiv is miles ahead of him.

[King Tendulkar]

Watch Randiv's feet at the point of delivery and compare that to Bhajji. Also note how the ball comes out of Randiv's hand from a much higher trajectory and at least on a couple of occasions he's caught the batsmen off guard with extra bounce off the pitch. Bhajji bowled to many rubbish deliveries with his arm dragging the ball down instead of looping it up. This guy is showing how you're supposed to bowl on these types of pitches backed up by some super aggressive fields. If this kid can look so much better than Bhajji in just a couple of sessions on the same pitch then it's high time Bhajji earn his test spot. Get Murali Kartik in the team.

Randiv double ton:two_thumbs_up: You were saying something about randivs feet position:hysterical:

[putrevus]

some of people have got Manjerkar's Idiot fever, he was saying It was great ball (Doosra) which dismissed Viru which I have 100 replays it was plain viru missed it.He is like Ajmal who will never take lot of wickets because he does not turn ball much.

[King Tendulkar]

Yes bhaji has not a good game. Fair enough people can if they want question his slection on form , although I would argue that the pitch is so flat its impossible to judge any bowler on it. But the name calling and frankly abuse of the 3rd highest wicket taker for India in tests and 5th highest in odis is way OTT. All those wickets and service forgotten by blind haters.

[youngindia]

i am not confident about bhajji's thinking ability and abiltiy to expand his skills.i really doubt if he can improve further after all this time. however, his alternatives are not going to do better.we are just not getting the one exceptional spinner we want. as i said already, mohnish parmar of 2008with murali like action was the only superior talent i saw. but unless he comes with the same effect with the new action, it is a question mark. i still have hope that piyush can turn it just a bit to cause some problems on the leg break. i am done with mishra. left arm spinners i am afriad have to play second fiddle to leg spinners and off spinners.i am not convinced of their match winning bailities.

[Ranjha]

Randiv double ton:two_thumbs_up: You were saying something about randivs feet position:hysterical:

Hey but did you look at the way Randiv flights the ball? Its orgasmic.