Forgotten players : Nowhere man RP searches for direction

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One of India’s most memorable away Test wins in recent times came against Australia in Perth in January 2008. Irfan Pathan was the Man of the Match, Rahul Dravid made a crucial 90-plus in the first innings and V.V.S. Laxman contributed an invaluable 70-odd in the second. Yet, the unsung hero of that match was R.P. Singh. More... Nowhere man RP searches for direction Atreyo Mukhopadhyay, Hindustan Times Kolkata, February 01, 2010 One of India’s most memorable away Test wins in recent times came against Australia in Perth in January 2008. Irfan Pathan was the Man of the Match, Rahul Dravid made a crucial 90-plus in the first innings and V.V.S. Laxman contributed an invaluable 70-odd in the second. Yet, the unsung hero of that match was R.P. Singh. The Rae Bareli left-armer took four for 68 in the first innings to ensure India took a handy lead and when India needed to build on that, RP shared a 51-run ninth-wicket stand in the second innings with Laxman, chipping in with a plucky 30. Fittingly, he ended the match by taking the last Australian wicket in the fourth innings. Just when it seemed that India had found the right ammunition to square the series in the last Test, a shin injury sent RP home. He returned a few months later, against South Africa, but never played a Test again after the one in Ahmedabad in April 2008. Even though he had a few indifferent ODI outings after that, RP currently finds himself way behind in India’s chain of medium-pacers and doesn’t even feature on the fringes. From a nippy customer whose ability to extract bounce on benign pitches impressed experts, he has suddenly become a nowhere man, with UP teammates Sudeep Tyagi and Praveen Kumar overtaking him along with many others. Not a great mover of the ball, RP used to trouble batsmen mainly with the natural angle of left-armers, sometimes taking them by surprise with kick off the wicket. He never had the in-coming ball like Irfan Pathan, nor the ability to reverse-swing like Zaheer Khan. Neither was he a prodigious swinger of the ball like Ashish Nehra. To make up for all that, RP had to be spot-on with his line and length and that is something he didn’t display when he got a chance to redeem himself in the Champions Trophy last year. The selectors had no choice but to send him back to domestic cricket and RP needed to do something special to reclaim the place he once owned. He hasn’t done too badly this season, taking 35 wickets in 10 first-class matches at 31.8 apiece, but others have raised the bar. To get back to where he belonged, the 24-year-old has to do a lot better.

[Laaloo]

Come on RP. Don't waste your talent. Earn your place back in the team.

[saneindian]

Saw him bowl in the recent Duleep Trophy final, was bowling in the low 120s and seemed to be just putting the ball there. I expected better effort from him as he is trying to comeback to Team India. Needs to shed a lot of weight and go back to try and bowl fast as he used to earlier. Work hard on the fitness and things will naturally start working for him.

[Chandan]

Saw him bowl in the recent Duleep Trophy final, was bowling in the low 120s and seemed to be just putting the ball there. I expected better effort from him as he is trying to comeback to Team India. Needs to shed a lot of weight and go back to try and bowl fast as he used to earlier. Work hard on the fitness and things will naturally start working for him.

Why would a seamer bowl in 140s in an inconsequential domestic match? Taking wickets is what is important. Irfan tried to up his pace last year and lost even the magical swing that he had. These are swing bowlers and they shouldn't lose that weapon at any cost. Didn't you see how Asif was packing Australians with that deadly swing, even at 125-129 speed?

[rahulrulezz]

Why would a seamer bowl in 140s in an inconsequential domestic match? Taking wickets is what is important. Irfan tried to up his pace last year and lost even the magical swing that he had. These are swing bowlers and they shouldn't lose that weapon at any cost. Didn't you see how Asif was packing Australians with that deadly swing' date=' even at 125-129 speed?[/quote'] all the facts u stated are wrong... first Irfan pathan was actually below 130 in all the matches he played last year.. to make it worse, he was actually bowling in low 120s... 2nd, Asif average speed in most of the odis was 134.6 which is not bad for a swing line and length bowler... I find bowler who bowl in 120s and searching for wickets by balling iin good line n length cheap.. seems like no extra effort.. and regarding RP, he was always good when his pace was in high 130s and low 140 but in his comeback match, he was bowling in 120s which is embrassing for a front line seamer...

[saneindian]

Chandan, I am talking about the Duleep trophy semis. The match was being beamed live on TV, the team for SA series and the BP 11 team was to be announced on that day. There was lot more at stake for RPS. But his overall effort disappointed me. Agreed one doesn't have to bowl at his peak speed in domestic matches, but bowling at an avg speed of 120-121 kpmh that too pitch with good bounce and some help for the pacers? How is that going to impress anyone. Had he tried touching even 135, it could have got him many more wickets than he eventually picked.

[Chandan]

all the facts u stated are wrong... first Irfan pathan was actually below 130 in all the matches he played last year.. to make it worse, he was actually bowling in low 120s...

Where did I say that he bowled above 130? I said he contrated on speed and lost even the swing weapon that he had.

2nd, Asif average speed in most of the odis was 134.6 which is not bad for a swing line and length bowler... I find bowler who bowl in 120s and searching for wickets by balling iin good line n length cheap.. seems like no extra effort..

I'm least bothered by ODIs. No matter what the bowlers do, they'll get hammered. That is the nature of the game on flat decks. I'm talking about tests here and I saw Asif bowling in 120s on plenty of occasions in tests, and he looked as deadly, unless it was Day 1 of the flat boxing day track.

and regarding RP, he was always good when his pace was in high 130s and low 140 but in his comeback match, he was bowling in 120s which is embrassing for a front line seamer...

Yes, it is. But bowlers can't keep on bowling in 140s evertime after they get injured. It is concerning that RP has not taken too many Ranji wickets as Irfan has, even at lower speed. He should be worried about that.

[Fontaine]

RP needs to go back to the fitness levels he was in 2007/2008 when he was bowling in the low 140s and getting enough movement to trouble most batsmen. He has very good ability plus he's a left hand bowler which automatically gives him an advantage.

[Sachinism]

Why would a seamer bowl in 140s in an inconsequential domestic match? Taking wickets is what is important. Irfan tried to up his pace last year and lost even the magical swing that he had. These are swing bowlers and they shouldn't lose that weapon at any cost. Didn't you see how Asif was packing Australians with that deadly swing' date=' even at 125-129 speed?[/quote'] When he is fighting for a spot in the national side with his peers I think he should be pushing himself to get noticed

[CG]

RP needs to go back to the fitness levels he was in 2007/2008 when he was bowling in the low 140s and getting enough movement to trouble most batsmen. He has very good ability plus he's a left hand bowler which automatically gives him an advantage.

at his bets he was at 138-147km.h and swinging it in at pace ,i do not agree with the article the guy is a joker when he says nehra has prodigious swing where as nehra is a seam bowler and irfan reverse?. some of rps finest wickets- [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLS0ovEwWBQ]YouTube- Best of RP Singh[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfSD_9r0bLc]YouTube- Indian fast bowling at their best...bowled! bowled! bowled![/ame]

[Fontaine]

at his bets he was at 138-147km.h and swinging it in at pace ,i do not agree with the article the guy is a joker when he says nehra has prodigious swing where as nehra is a seam bowler and irfan reverse?.

Yeah it's a bit of a nothing article. When RP came back from his county stint he directly matched his success to his fitness he gained from training in English County cricket. He said the physios and fitness coaches there were extremely good and told him exactly the areas where he needed to improve especially his leg strength and drive. Ofcourse that was a few years ago. I don't know how his fitness is now but it'll be interesting to see how he does in the IPL because he's done well there before and if he can still bowl at pace and get the natural outswing he used to then he should be looked at strongly for a recall especially for foreign tours.