Ashwin hot on Harbhajan’s heels

[Switchblade]

http://www.indianexpress.com/ipl2011/news/ashwin-hot-on-harbhajans-heels/794826 In around a week's time, Harbhajan Singh will fly out to the Caribbean to bowl for India while his mates Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan will enjoy a rare opportunity to catch up on the sitcom episodes they have missed over the last few cricket-saturated months. While the others opted to rest their aching limbs during the limited-overs leg of the West Indies tour, the 30-year-old off spinner made it clear that he would play every match if need be. "I am definitely available for the whole tour,†he said. “For all five ODIs, two T20s and three Tests.†Why he said this is easy to fathom. Of the aforementioned group of thirty-somethings who are regulars for India in both Tests and ODIs, only Harbhajan faces any sort of threat of losing his place. That threat, at least in the ODIs, comes from Ravichandran Ashwin, who made a strong case for himself during the World Cup, despite playing only two matches. While Harbhajan's greater experience ensured that he featured throughout India's triumphant procession to victory, his returns – nine wickets at an average of 43.33 – were doing little to show he was conclusively India's best limited-overs spinner. With the World Cup out of the way, the selectors are likely to shift from a result-oriented approach to longer-term planning for the Indian team's future, with Ashwin featuring prominently in their thoughts. And now, after the conclusion of the IPL's league phase, the Chennai offie's lanky frame looms even more menacingly in Harbhajan's rearview mirrors. The two have similar figures this season. Harbhajan has 13 wickets from 13 matches with an economy rate of 6.75, while Ashwin's 14 games have brought him 16 wickets while conceding 6.16 runs an over. Their strike rates are separated by a single decimal point. Dig a little deeper, however, and the differences become apparent. Five of Harbhajan's 13 wickets came in Mumbai's eight-run win over Chennai at Wankhede, and has gone wicketless seven times. Ashwin, on the other hand, hasn't picked up more than two wickets in any of his spells, and has failed to strike only three times. Of Ashwin's victims, none has batted lower than number 6. Harbhajan, on the other hand, has dismissed four batsmen who have walked in at number eight or lower. Surprisingly, Harbhajan has opened the bowling more often than Ashwin this season – they've taken the new ball on seven and four occasions respectively. But Ashwin has enjoyed far more success against the openers, dismissing numbers one or two nine times to Harbhajan's three. Some might cite the Malinga factor in Harbhajan's defence, stating that the Sri Lankan slinger's yorker has sent back batsmen whom the Punjab offie might have otherwise scalped. But Harbhajan has often failed to turn up when Malinga has had an off day. Against Kochi at home and Rajasthan away, when Malinga was taken apart by the openers (he went for 42 in both those spells), Harbhajan went wicketless. Ashwin, on the other hand, has been Chennai's go-to bowler against any opposition, home or away. He provided further evidence of his ability under pressure on Sunday at Bangalore, taking the new ball and bowling four overs for 18 as Chris Gayle ran amok, conceding just seven to the West Indian opener in 13 deliveries. And that is reason enough to make the senior pro rise to the challenge against Kolkata on Wednesday.

[cricketlover]

what is so special about ashwin?? i remember before the Pak Ind semi all Indians here and those i know in real life were giving the impression about how Ashwin was the second oming offf Warne and Murali combined. He didnt even play. I saw him yesterday in IPL (home these days so can watch a few matches if i want). Saw his first 2 overs. His action is nothing special and does not get a lot of spin either. Also he has the build of a seamer rather than spinner. Ive only seen2-3 times with 1 or 2 overs each time and def its not enough to make a full judgement but in all these occssions the only special thing you can say about him is that he is very economical... While being economical can be very good in t20's and to an extent in odi's, I just dont think you can get wickets that way in tests. Seems like a bowler who can be blocked all day long. So what is so special about him??? Personally I think Mishra and Chawla have more wicket taking ability

[Zap_Brannigan]

what is so special about ashwin?? i remember before the Pak Ind semi all Indians here and those i know in real life were giving the impression about how Ashwin was the second oming offf Warne and Murali combined. He didnt even play. I saw him yesterday in IPL (home these days so can watch a few matches if i want). Saw his first 2 overs. His action is nothing special and does not get a lot of spin either. Also he has the build of a seamer rather than spinner. Ive only seen2-3 times with 1 or 2 overs each time and def its not enough to make a full judgement but in all these occssions the only special thing you can say about him is that he is very economical... While being economical can be very good in t20's and to an extent in odi's, I just dont think you can get wickets that way in tests. Seems like a bowler who can be blocked all day long. So what is so special about him??? Personally I think Mishra and Chawla have more wicket taking ability

Get your facts right. Ashwin picks up 2 wickets per match in ODIs while bhajji hardly picks up a wicket in some games in the last couple of years. Any player can do a lot of rights but if the wrongs outweigh the rights, he becomes useless. Chawlas or mishras turn has no meaning if they pitch it half way down the pitch. Ashwin has been our best spinner in the last year, not because he is awesome but because others are useless. He needs to be given more chances.

[kubrickian]

what is so special about ashwin?? i remember before the Pak Ind semi all Indians here and those i know in real life were giving the impression about how Ashwin was the second oming offf Warne and Murali combined. He didnt even play. I saw him yesterday in IPL (home these days so can watch a few matches if i want). Saw his first 2 overs. His action is nothing special and does not get a lot of spin either. Also he has the build of a seamer rather than spinner. Ive only seen2-3 times with 1 or 2 overs each time and def its not enough to make a full judgement but in all these occssions the only special thing you can say about him is that he is very economical... While being economical can be very good in t20's and to an extent in odi's, I just dont think you can get wickets that way in tests. Seems like a bowler who can be blocked all day long. So what is so special about him??? Personally I think Mishra and Chawla have more wicket taking ability

The same was said about a certain player who picked 500 + wickets in Tests including a 10 wicket haul against a certain team. :phehehe: It will be interesting to see how Ashwin does in Tests when he does get the opportunity. He has so far been impressive in the shorter formats of the game. I think Mishra and Ojha are preferred ahead of him in the test side after Bhajji but that may change with Ojha getting the boot for Windies tour.

[Karan114]

I hope that blow he took to his head in the last IPL game doesn't rule him out of the WI tour. He can be a real asset for us as the main spinner in limited overs cricket.

[Cricket Tragic]

Not going to happen. Harby and Dhoni have invested loads of money recently in a property to start a new business. Ashwin will play only if we play 2 spinners.

[vvvslaxman]

what is so special about ashwin?? i remember before the Pak Ind semi all Indians here and those i know in real life were giving the impression about how Ashwin was the second oming offf Warne and Murali combined. He didnt even play. I saw him yesterday in IPL (home these days so can watch a few matches if i want). Saw his first 2 overs. His action is nothing special and does not get a lot of spin either. Also he has the build of a seamer rather than spinner. Ive only seen2-3 times with 1 or 2 overs each time and def its not enough to make a full judgement but in all these occssions the only special thing you can say about him is that he is very economical... While being economical can be very good in t20's and to an extent in odi's, I just dont think you can get wickets that way in tests. Seems like a bowler who can be blocked all day long. So what is so special about him??? Personally I think Mishra and Chawla have more wicket taking ability

Most uneducated and dumbest post i have seen in a while :facepalm:

[Sid]

Ashwin is the best limited overs spinner in India,period

[jairamesh]

In the shorter formats Ashwin trumps the Bhajji by a distance, especially considering Bhajji's form in the last 3-4 years, and Ashwin should start ahead of Bhajji. At Test level, either Ashwin should be used in the sense of "secret weapon" rather than regularly, but rite now I can't see any decent right-arm offie to challenge bhajji's role. Mishra should be given a decent outing at least 4 tests on the trot to prove himself, and I think he has got the quality, variation and brain to oust bhajji as a regular spin option.

[Lord]

why cant both play?