Anil Kumble's Captaincy might cost us this test match.

[Fontaine]

Fontaine you make some valid points, but I dont think kumble picks the team it is the selectors. I still dont understand why harbhajan is in the squad, let alone in the team. Bhajji is no longer a test bowler, he has morphed himself into a defensive bowler who can bowl economically in ODIs and T20's. His bowling in tests over the past couple of seasons has lacked variation, creativity and attacking the batsmen. These days he just bowls faster and flatter with zero variation and HOPES to get a wicket very rarely do we see him give the ball some air or use the crease or bowl a top spinner / straighter one / doosra. Somebody needs to have chat with him and tell him that if he keeps this up he will not be in the team for the second test. Admittedly kumble has looked ineffective in the SL series, but in this match I thought he bowled pretty well without any luck.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Kumble has significant input in the final team selection. I thought it was a joint effort i.e. when Dhoni specifically asked for younger/athletic players for the ODI side and got it for the CB series. As far as Harbhajan? I think he can be very useful when it's a spinning track but where there isn't a lot of spin on offer he goes defensive as you said. At this point, I hope guys like Chawla/Mishra can keep progressing and in a year or so make a real case for selection and make Harbhajan earn his place rather than being the default choice.

[gloryof83]

Please correct me if I'm wrong' date=' but I believe Kumble has significant input in the final team selection. I thought it was a joint effort i.e. when Dhoni specifically asked for younger/athletic players for the ODI side and got it for the CB series.[/quote'] we can only speculate as to what goes on during the team selection, your guess is as good as mine.

As far as Harbhajan? I think he can be very useful when it's a spinning track but where there isn't a lot of spin on offer he goes defensive as you said. At this point' date=' I hope guys like Chawla/Mishra can keep progressing and in a year or so make a real case for selection and make Harbhajan earn his place rather than being the default choice.[/quote'] thats the thing... do you need so much assistance from the pitch to take wickets, ishant yesterday is a prime example on a unhelpful pitch he used his brains to THINK batsmen out. When has bhajji done this in the last 2-3 years? He has even stopped bowling doosra & top spinners. Any spinner who only bowls one kind of delivery will struggle and bhajji is prime example of this.

[Dravid]

Dude, it's called reading comprehension. You might want to start on page one of this thread, specifically post #37 where I gave examples of my previous posts going back weeks where I've said the same thing.

lol, only reason u r saying that cus u r a hater of ganguly.. am sure u will be back in the stretched out hole u came from by the end of india's innings. kthxbyeugo

[yoda]

Now to add insult to injury, he sends both our openers at the same time to face the new ball, sends Dravid ahead of Laxman, Tendulkar in same old spot and the slow Ganguly ahead of faster Ishant and Zaheer. What a moron.

[Sachinism]

We should have had Munaf playing instead of Bhaji

[Shane]

We should have had Munaf playing instead of Bhaji

Hindsight is a good tool only if we could use it :winky:

[Sachinism]

Hindsight is a good tool only if we could use it :winky:

yes, though hopefully bhaji can be useful for the 2nd innings if we get there lol

[DomainK]

Strange tactics by Kumble. He has brought spin from both ends, while Harbhajan has had a long,very long spell, and Kumble has himself looked completely ineffective. Zaheer, on the other hand, last bowled more than two hours ago. The game is slowly drifting, and this partnership has completely capitalised, scoring 50 in quick time- cricinfo

[DomainK]

Kumble has been the most expensive so far. As long as he was away, Aussies were scoring below 2.3. Now they are above 2.8. Kumble has been giving runs at 3.8. Way more expensive than any other bowler.

[zubinpepsi]

how many of u noticed the difference in the tactics adopted by dhoni n now the dumble.. if we need to win this series.. kumble shud jus quit pronto...

[Fontaine]

and now he's missed a run out chance if he had gathered the ball cleanly. I don't understand why he's included when he clearly has a shoulder injury that took him off the field most of the day. It's bad enough he only uses 4 bowlers but now we're missing a bowler as well. The same crap happened down under and Kumble had no back up plan, no options.

[Dooks]

Kumble has just lost (or draw) us this test. Useless capitan - must retire or at least relinquish captaincy. He is just not good enough.

[DomainK]

India seemed to have kept Australia under the leash, with regular wickets. But in the second half of the final session, they let it drift. From the moment Kumble brought himself on, along with a tired Harbhajan from the other end, we could see the intensity dip. Kumble bowled flat, looking to contain more than take wickets, and the fielding also let up a bit.- Cricinfo

[Fontaine]

India seemed to have kept Australia under the leash' date=' with regular wickets. But in the second half of the final session, they let it drift. [b']From the moment Kumble brought himself on, along with a tired Harbhajan from the other end, we could see the intensity dip. Kumble bowled flat, looking to contain more than take wickets, and the fielding also let up a bit.- Cricinfo

Yes, it was interesting wasn't it. Kumble clearly looked out of sorts and not happy given his shoulder problems. That's ALWAYS the risk when you only go with 4 bowlers and not use your part timers correctly. As soon as one bowler gets tired or worse injured then you're screwed.

[Fontaine]

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/373571.html

[DomainK]

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/373571.html

Good article. Anil Kumble's inabilities as a captain are hurting bad now. Time he hung his boots and let the next one take charge....be it Dhoni or Sehwag or someone else. He does not have the instincts, courage or the understanding as a captain.

[umpire]

Kumble will most likely miss Mohali Game.

[DomainK]

I have a feeling that Kumble started this match with an aim of drawing it as the pitch was not upto his expectations. Nothing else explains Bhajji's negative line in the first innings.

[umpire]

^stupid feeling. It was Australians who scored slow and if you have feeling, it should Australian wanted to draw this test and go to Mohali 0-0 and use their pace attack on lively mohali pitch

[Ram]

Kumble is in big trouble. Pretty sure he has only a marginal chance to make it to the 2nd test, given his fitness concerns. At Mohali, India is almost certain to play Munaf instead of him and that attack will cause the Aussies even more headaches. IF we win that match, what will happen to Anil after that?