Dhoni worried by inept bowling

[Sachinism]

MS Dhoni has come down hard on his bowlers after India started yet another tour with a demoralising defeat. "One of the things was we still couldn't get them all out," Dhoni said. "Although we all said the wicket was different to first day, but you have bowled on flatter tracks and you're still expected to get the sides out, so that's an area of concern because to win a Test you have to get 20 wickets." It was not just the failure to bowl South Africa out that ought to concern India. They conceded 225 runs in one session on the third day, which hastened the declaration from South Africa. The extra time South Africa gained proved to be a big factor in India's fight for a draw. "You're supposed to either take wickets or not let the opposition score at five runs an over in a Test match," Dhoni said. "The conditions are difficult out here, it's not like in India where it's turning and the ball doesn't come on. So you can tie the batsmen down and not let them score at a brisk pace. But over here scoring is quite easy, in the sense once you're set, the ball comes on nicely and you can score on both sides of the wicket. So that's also an area of concern. Even our scoring-rate, despite us losing wickets, was quite good. So that means, the only way out is to take wickets. "It was difficult because there was not much help from the wicket. Our bowlers are not express quick. They don't generally bowl over 140-plus. They have to be very precise with their line and length. We tried different fields. We tried to work around their bowling aspects, which, more often than not, will work with a set batsman. We tried to contain them but it was not successful for a period of time." Dhoni was also worried about the over-rates, which could potentially earn him a one-match suspension. "Another area of worry is the over-rate because we were five-and-a-half overs down at one stage," he said. "That's a lot. That's a big worry. We need to step that up. We need to bowl our quota in the time allotted." Dhoni is looking forward to Zaheer's return, not just for what he does with the ball, but how he leads the attack. "It's not just that when Zaheer plays he always gets wickets," he said when asked if the attack was not even half as effective in Zaheer's absence. "But what is good with him is the amount of experience he has got, the way he comes up with new plans and changes his plans during the course of the game. What we need to see is if he can be there in the next Test, whether we can make something happen on the field." Dhoni seemed resigned to India's tendency to start Test series poorly. "That's one quality we have," he said. "It's not only in India. Most of the Test series, the first Test has often gone bad, but after that we have come back really well. Again we are back to a start that we are quite used to now, hopefully we will cope with that in the coming two games." That said, he had a few positives to draw on. "Apart from the first day I think we batted really well," he said. "In the second innings, if you have to achieve 400 or 400-plus score you are under pressure. It may be a flat track, but handling that pressure is very difficult. That [india handled it] is definitely a big positive." http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2010/content/current/story/493588.html

[Ram]

He has every reason to be concerned. Lets say we had bowled out South Africa for 330-400 in their first innings, scored 400+ in our 2nd innings and they had won by 6-7 wickets chasing 140, at least then, we can say that it was pretty much one bad session that cost us the entire match. But the ease with which their batsmen scored runs, all 620 of it at a ludicrous ER of 4.7, is simply alarming if you are an Indian team strategist trying to figure out what went wrong. This obviously has a big bearing on our chances to come back in this test series because for that to happen, our bowlers should take 10 of their wickets cheaply, at least in one innings.

[putrevus]

scoring 225 runs in one session was particularly alarming, I dont think even Sehwag murdering the bowling has ever done that and it was kallis for christ sake batting at one end.Raina was feeding him lollipops and Bhajji freebies and our Trundlers trying to bounce them was comical.

[f.b.m]

As much as it was a popgun bowling attack on a flattish (although not dead) wicket, there were no proper defensive bowling plans at all by the look of it. There were no 8-1 fields or people turning the ball out of the rough to dry the run flow. I think if we adopted more committed defensive tactics at 180-2 we could have taken off 1.5 rpo off their scorecard and maybe saved the match because of it. ps: Not to sound like captain hindsight, I said this even when they were batting.

[Deleted_User_1]

Because of the impotent bowling (Zak or no Zak) we will lose the series 2-0 or 3-0. We cannot rely on only one bowler. To top that, batting in the 1st test was nothing to brag about.

[pensionplan]

He has every reason to be concerned. Lets say we had bowled out South Africa for 330-400 in their first innings, scored 400+ in our 2nd innings and they had won by 6-7 wickets chasing 140, at least then, we can say that it was pretty much one bad session that cost us the entire match. But the ease with which their batsmen scored runs, all 620 of it at a ludicrous ER of 4.7, is simply alarming if you are an Indian team strategist trying to figure out what went wrong. This obviously has a big bearing on our chances to come back in this test series because for that to happen, our bowlers should take 10 of their wickets cheaply, at least in one innings.

Look you always go with the best of what you have. We know Harbhajan has been crap for a while and in the process very expensive too. People scare him as much as they do a part timer. So at least show me that you care and you are trying if you are MSD and pick the lesser of the two evils in Ojha who is a lot more economical as was proved in the recent Tests that both HS and Ojha played. If MSD has the guts and assuming ZK is fit we should play with ZK, IS, SS, Ojha combo by dropping Harbhajan. But who will skin the cat. I doubt if MSD has the guts to bench this player who has Tendulkar's backing and hence will leave the better option on the bench. It is really sad such a passenger with the ball is an automatic selection.

[pensionplan]

Because of the impotent bowling (Zak or no Zak) we will lose the series 2-0 or 3-0. We cannot rely on only one bowler. To top that' date=' batting in the 1st test was nothing to brag about.[/quote']I doubt ZK will be at his full fitness even if he plays without any sort of a match practice after the recovery to prove how well he has recovered. All off a sudden it looks so bleak in the bowling department especially given the way SA team hammered us for 620 odd for 4 looking good for a 1000 if they kept batting.

[Fontaine]

As much as it was a popgun bowling attack on a flattish (although not dead) wicket, there were no proper defensive bowling plans at all by the look of it. There were no 8-1 fields or people turning the ball out of the rough to dry the run flow. I think if we adopted more committed defensive tactics at 180-2 we could have taken off 1.5 rpo off their scorecard and maybe saved the match because of it. ps: Not to sound like captain hindsight, I said this even when they were batting.

You're right but it should be noted that defensive plans only work when the bowlers can actually bowl to a field. Ishant was erratic and Sreesanth pretty much bowled leg side once every 5/6 deliveries. They targetted Bhajji, often hitting him in the air and Unadkat was a nothing bowler. When was the last time Sreesanth was able to accurately and consistently able to bowl to any sort of field?

[achilles]

He should have thought about this before selecting Yadav and Unadkat in the Test squad. The result would have been a lot better had PK, Munaf, Mithun or even Agarkar had been given a chance. He selected the team so I don't know why he should be complaining.

[Laaloo]

He should have thought about this before selecting Yadav and Unadkat in the Test squad. The result would have been a lot better had PK, Munaf, Mithun or even Agarkar had been given a chance. He selected the team so I don't know why he should be complaining.

And which genius told you that Dhoni selected the team or should I assume that you're talking out of your backside again?

[fineleg]

He should have thought about this before selecting Yadav and Unadkat in the Test squad. The result would have been a lot better had PK, Munaf, Mithun or even Agarkar had been given a chance. He selected the team so I don't know why he should be complaining.

I dont think captain has votes in selection of squad. And even if he did have vote (???) - I dont think he can override the other selectors.

[vamos_rafa]

I think our bowling was so crap that even if MSD had set all fielders on the off,our bowlers would have still managed to leak a boundary on the leg side. He is not to be blamed entirely for this fiasco. He could have only set fields and expected his bowlers to deliver, but, if with every kind of a field the bowlers bowl crap then I actually doubt what can be done. And on top of it there was no go-to type of a bowler for MSD. He could not single out any one bowler whom he would turn to in case of a need, like Steyn is there for SA.

[saneindian]

The number of buffet balls that we bowled in this test was alarming. Bowlers just could not stick to a line or length and hardly bowled to the field set. Hopefully with more time spent in SA, the bowlers will figure out the linge and length to be bowled. Remember how we lost the 1st test in the SL tour by an innings and the same set of young bowlers got us back into the series in the final test. Zak's return should also help.

[CG]

MS Dhoni has come down hard on his bowlers after India started yet another tour with a demoralising defeat. "One of the things was we still couldn't get them all out," Dhoni said. "Although we all said the wicket was different to first day, but you have bowled on flatter tracks and you're still expected to get the sides out, so that's an area of concern because to win a Test you have to get 20 wickets." It was not just the failure to bowl South Africa out that ought to concern India. They conceded 225 runs in one session on the third day, which hastened the declaration from South Africa. The extra time South Africa gained proved to be a big factor in India's fight for a draw. "You're supposed to either take wickets or not let the opposition score at five runs an over in a Test match," Dhoni said. "The conditions are difficult out here, it's not like in India where it's turning and the ball doesn't come on. So you can tie the batsmen down and not let them score at a brisk pace. But over here scoring is quite easy, in the sense once you're set, the ball comes on nicely and you can score on both sides of the wicket. So that's also an area of concern. Even our scoring-rate, despite us losing wickets, was quite good. So that means, the only way out is to take wickets. "It was difficult because there was not much help from the wicket. Our bowlers are not express quick. They don't generally bowl over 140-plus. They have to be very precise with their line and length. We tried different fields. We tried to work around their bowling aspects, which, more often than not, will work with a set batsman. We tried to contain them but it was not successful for a period of time." Dhoni was also worried about the over-rates, which could potentially earn him a one-match suspension. "Another area of worry is the over-rate because we were five-and-a-half overs down at one stage," he said. "That's a lot. That's a big worry. We need to step that up. We need to bowl our quota in the time allotted." Dhoni is looking forward to Zaheer's return, not just for what he does with the ball, but how he leads the attack. "It's not just that when Zaheer plays he always gets wickets," he said when asked if the attack was not even half as effective in Zaheer's absence. "But what is good with him is the amount of experience he has got, the way he comes up with new plans and changes his plans during the course of the game. What we need to see is if he can be there in the next Test, whether we can make something happen on the field." Dhoni seemed resigned to India's tendency to start Test series poorly. "That's one quality we have," he said. "It's not only in India. Most of the Test series, the first Test has often gone bad, but after that we have come back really well. Again we are back to a start that we are quite used to now, hopefully we will cope with that in the coming two games." That said, he had a few positives to draw on. "Apart from the first day I think we batted really well," he said. "In the second innings, if you have to achieve 400 or 400-plus score you are under pressure. It may be a flat track, but handling that pressure is very difficult. That [india handled it] is definitely a big positive." http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2010/content/current/story/493588.html

Mr Dhoni if you needed pace why did not you select Umesh yadav as he bowls 140+,Recently sreesanth was clocked at 146km/h during india australia series,Its a stupid statement to make from a captain,the morale of our fast bowlers will go down more.Also look at steyn he was mostly in the 130-140km/h and ocassionaly got to 145km/h poor excuses for batsman when you cannot play short balls.

[fineleg]

There is still enough time to go for Durban Test, but India are not even asking (or BCCI not sending?) any extra medium pacers from homeland? What if Ishant or Zaheer or Sree pick up a niggle close to Test-2? Then again Unad-cant or Yadav :((

[putrevus]

What was shocking is selection of Unadkat , they must have seen him bowl in nets and if they still picked him , that means either of the two things they have coaches and captain who have no idea what the heck is going on or Umesh Yadav is completely useless. This guy Unadkat bowls in 120s range and he should be able swing the at least new ball viciously pretty much every where in world.Even it was not controlled swing he should have shown he could swing the ball. I still don't think he has the delivery which comes back in to right hander,All he did was angle across and ball was pretty much straight as an arrow.He trying to bounce Kallis out was almost comical.

[jusarrived]

^ the only reason he wa spicked was cos hes left arm , frankly which does make sense ..dint work , but I doubt that would have made any difference even if Umesh was picked

[putrevus]

^ that is a ridiculous reason,if that left armer has no ability then what is point in picking him up.They should know him better than anybody.

[jusarrived]

^ that is a ridiculous reason,if that left armer has no ability then what is point in picking him up.They should know him better than anybody.

if he had no ability he wudnt have been in the squad . His first test at the age of 19 , give him a break !

[asterix]

Although hindsight, even RP Singh could've done better..You need experience bowlers in the team when you travel abroad..Zak always manages to "miss" important matches and hence RP would've been a better choice in place of Undercut (Unadkat).. Because you cannot expect Bhajji to take any responsibities being a senior bowlers. I'm pretty sure Harris will outbowl in in this series..