Harbhajan needs to rediscover himself

[Karan114]

Harbhajan needs to rediscover himself by Suresh Menon Jul 04, 2011 A day after the second Test against the West Indies at Barbados ended in a draw, Harbhajan Singh turned 31. Even allowing for the greater number and variety of international matches played, the cliché about spinners still holds: they mature late. Harbhajan’s one-time partner in crime, the great Anil Kumble played 71 Tests after the age of 31, picked up 343 wickets and at a better strike rate than in his previous Tests. Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne too have similar records, their strike rates improving with age. Yet if Harbhajan hopes to match those figures, he will have to give his bowling some serious thought. With India chasing victory on the fourth day of the first Test on a track that was assisting the bowlers, Harbhajan struggled. By spearing the ball in he appeared to have compromised on his craft, his role now to keep the runs down rather than claim wickets. The signs have been clear for some time now. Harbhajan, the man who once had 32 wickets in a three-Test home series against Australia, appears like a confused teenager, and never mind if he has played 95 Tests and is only two wickets short of 400. Harbhajan has been consciously avoiding the doosra for some time now, which is a fine thing. It has caused his action to be questioned in the past. But in the bargain he is struggling to bowl the off break. Perhaps his success in the first Twenty20 World Cup (which India won) is turning into a curse now. It is unlikely that even after his mediocre showing in the series so far (five wickets spread over four innings in 68 overs), he will be dropped for the final Test this week. Incumbents, especially bowlers who have claimed lots of wickets in the past, are usually given another chance to fail. And with India leading, and a series in England to follow, Harbhajan needs to be given a chance to rediscover himself. To find the route that made him a world class off spinner, Harbhajan might have to give up the shorter formats of the game. There is little doubt that one-day cricket and T20 have reduced his effectiveness in Test cricket. It is unlikely that he will take that step, though. For one, he is a fiercely combative player who will see any such move as an admission of defeat. For another, he loves to bowl, and cannot contemplate lean periods, especially if he believes (as he has in the past) that all problems can be solved in the running, as it were. That is, by playing as much as possible. Apart from the limited-overs bowling, it is the limited-overs mentality that is restricting Harbhajan’s effectiveness. In the shorter formats, there is no room for planning or laying traps, and if something doesn’t happen very quickly, the pressure is on the bowler. When he started his career, and then began to be successful he was criticised for not being Erapalli Prasanna – a rite of passage all Indian spinners have had to go through since the Quartet of Prasanna, Bedi, Chandrasekhar and Venkatraghavan retired – before it was conceded that he is a different type of bowler altogether. With an action resembling a windmill winding down, he had to be watched at all times for his ability to control the spread of the off break without any apparent change in his action. Bounce was another factor, as Ricky Ponting, whom he regularly dismissed, kept rediscovering. Harbhajan was 18 when he made his Test debut and has packed into the 13 years since more cricket than the Quartet did during its two-decade spread. With Kumble he has taken over a thousand Test wickets, which is significantly greater than the 853 the Quartet had among them. With that experience and that record, it would be a pity if Harbhajan made the wrong choice at this critical stage in his career. For, as history has shown, it may be that the best is yet to come. http://www.dreamcricket.com/dreamcricket/news.hspl?nid=16136&ntid=3

[Sachin=GOD]

it is the limited-overs mentality that is restricting Harbhajan’s effectiveness. In the shorter formats, there is no room for planning or laying traps, and if something doesn’t happen very quickly, the pressure is on the bowler.

+1

[Cricket Tragic]

I don't see him giving up any format but the selectors could play him only as a test bowler for a while and see if it makes a difference.

[Yoda-esque]

You feel for Pragyan..Hes a good spinner with great control..buys his wkts (which is reqd in tests)

[CSK Fan]

Well to rediscover yourself, one has to get lost first. Just saying

[CG]

People just expect too much from him,fact is he is a finger spinner who has limitations he depends more on overspin than side spin and does not get drift ,so he is handicapped as a bowler on good wickets ,he needs supportive wickets ,we have to accept the fact he is more of a allrounder now and frankly with out doosra he is lags behind compared to swann who gets more side spin and drift and ajmal who has a great doosra ,bhajji is a one trick pony so he is bowling within his limitations ,we have accept the fact.

[deepak_sach]

People just expect too much from him' date='fact is he is a finger spinner who has limitations he depends more on overspin than side spin and does not get drift ,so he is handicapped as a bowler on good wickets ,he needs supportive wickets ,we have to accept the fact he is more of a allrounder now and frankly with out doosra he is lags behind compared to swann who gets more side spin and drift and ajmal who has a great doosra ,bhajji is a one trick pony so he is bowling within his limitations ,we have accept the fact.[/quote'] Why has he stopped bowling doosra?

[Ram]

I agree with the comment that Bhajji needs to re-invent himself. The fact of the matter is, most cricketers go through such mid-life crisis in their careers. Many here maybe surprised, but the great Anil Kumble, our biggest match-winner at home in the history of Indian cricket, went through a similar patch at the turn of the century. His bowling flagged badly, he couldn’t pick wickets to save his life and was actually dropped from the test team (Can you believe it?). Ironically, then there was talk of how he doesn’t spin the ball enough (When was he ever a big spinner of the ball?) and there was no shortage of experts trying to give him advice. My memory fails to recollect the exact details, but I clearly remember that during that time, while the Indian team was playing a series, Anil Kumble was attending a spin clinic that was organized by one of our ex-spinners and was meant for upcoming talent! (How ironical). However, Kumble did manage to turn his bowling around starting the 2003/04 tour of Australia and the rest as they say, is history! If this isn’t proof positive that spinners go through rough patches, then what would you say if you came to know Shane Warne was dropped from the Australian team and Colin Miller took his place?! Yep, as incredible as this sounds, it did happen in the West Indies in 1999. Then, Warne had just returned from the shoulder surgery and was really struggling to bowl well. And to make matter worse, Australia then had Stuart McGill, picking up a truck load of wickets every time he stepped on the field. The fact of the matter is, most spinners go through phases when their bowling literally falls of the cliff. Even Daniel Vettori’s numbers have nosedived recently. There were even people saying that he is now in the Kiwi test team more as a batting all-rounder. We should let Bhajji ride this trough so that he can emerge from it wiser and wilier. The fact of the matter, as much as his bowling has not lived up to expectations, no fair person would claim that it has cost us series wins. He is still performing reasonably, like he did in South Africa. And of course, his batting has been a total revelation. Lets give our guys the leeway to go through such patches and not call for somebody head to be chopped off every time they did not take a wicket in a spell or did not score a 100 in 2 matches.

[Fontaine]

I agree with the comment that Bhajji needs to re-invent himself. The fact of the matter is, most cricketers go through such mid-life crisis in their careers. Many here maybe surprised, but the great Anil Kumble, our biggest match-winner at home in the history of Indian cricket, went through a similar patch at the turn of the century. His bowling flagged badly, he couldn’t pick wickets to save his life and was actually dropped from the test team (Can you believe it?). Ironically, then there was talk of how he doesn’t spin the ball enough (When was he ever a big spinner of the ball?) and there was no shortage of experts trying to give him advice. My memory fails to recollect the exact details, but I clearly remember that during that time, while the Indian team was playing a series, Anil Kumble was attending a spin clinic that was organized by one of our ex-spinners and was meant for upcoming talent! (How ironical). However, Kumble did manage to turn his bowling around starting the 2003/04 tour of Australia and the rest as they say, is history! If this isn’t proof positive that spinners go through rough patches, then what would you say if you came to know Shane Warne was dropped from the Australian team and Colin Miller took his place?! Yep, as incredible as this sounds, it did happen in the West Indies in 1999. Then, Warne had just returned from the shoulder surgery and was really struggling to bowl well. And to make matter worse, Australia then had Stuart McGill, picking up a truck load of wickets every time he stepped on the field. The fact of the matter is, most spinners go through phases when their bowling literally falls of the cliff. Even Daniel Vettori’s numbers have nosedived recently. There were even people saying that he is now in the Kiwi test team more as a batting all-rounder. We should let Bhajji ride this trough so that he can emerge from it wiser and wilier. The fact of the matter, as much as his bowling has not lived up to expectations, no fair person would claim that it has cost us series wins. He is still performing reasonably, like he did in South Africa. And of course, his batting has been a total revelation. Lets give our guys the leeway to go through such patches and not call for somebody head to be chopped off every time they did not take a wicket in a spell or did not score a 100 in 2 matches.

This post doesn't make any sense. So kumble was dropped and then had to really try hard to get better. Warne was dropped until he got better. But Bhajji is in a real slump but shouldn't be dropped? WTF?

[Hindustani]

Bhajji is not going anywhere, it is just that he is not match winning anymore but as long as he is not leaking runs and taking 3-4 wickets, it is acceptable. Of course, this cant' go on for long, time to consider Mishra and Ashwin too. Infact we should rotate bhajji with these two too

[TheWall]

time is running out for Bhajji... hope he regains his form....

[ganeshran]

He needs to take a series off and get some rest. He has been playing non stop for so many months now. The Windies ODI series he should have taken a break.

[saneindian]

Could easily do with some help from his fielders and especially MSD. Was looking at the CI commentary for Bhajji's bowling in the last 12-18 months and found that some 19-20 chances have been dropped off his bowling in this period. Thats a heck of a lot number for someone who is not in a great bowling rhythm right now and is short of confidence. Also has there been any explanation why he has stopped bowling the doosra completely? Has he been warned/talked to in recent times to cut down on the doosra due to a suspect action?

[kabira]

Bhajji's mistake After SA tour, WC and IPL, he should have opted for a rest. Right now he seems to tired, lack fire etc etc.. All the seniors opted for a rest, BCCI should have taken the decision and rest him. He is on verge of getting dropped. I don't see him performing any better in England, without any rest to body and mind. Bhajji shoot himself on the foot.

[cowboysfan]

Agree 100%

[Cricket Tragic]

Another thread on Harby. :facepalm:

[Jersey #10]

He wanted to be the vice cap.

[EnterTheVoid]

Don't you guys have another better than to piss and moan about the same thing? Yea, Harbhajan needs to improve. Heard you the first time.

[kabira]

^LOL, this is dfferent version of the thread, he just needs rest, too tired

[King Tendulkar]

OP makes good point