Focus on Indian bowling, not batting

[rkt.india]

Over the last few days the Indian psyche has turned fretful. It has been biting its nails over Rahul Dravid's retirement and almost chewed its finger off when VVS Laxman followed suit. But, with no disrespect meant towards the two legends, we are barking up the wrong tree. If anything, Indian cricket's men who matter need to train their focus on the team's bowling, not batting. A sense of ease prevails when India play at home. Prepare a snake pit and the job is done. On top of that, if India bat first, chances are they won't be required to bat again. Score like Peter Pan, bury the opponents under a pile of runs, and when the series is done, advocate for sporting wickets. Home sweet home! Batting is clockwork for India at home. But in that rat race to reach the top of the ICC table, India have not played with a full deck and missed the plot. Indian pitches monger runs, which takes care of producing batsmen. Dravids and Laxmans may be few and far in between, but so are Pontings and Gowers. If they coped with it, India can do even better. But itÃÔ the Kapil Devs that India keep missing and have failed to reproduce. Zaheer Khan will turn 34 this season. He has already taken the Chaminda Vaas route. Shortened run-up, compromised speed and focus on control are salient features of an ageing fast bowler. Since the England tour, which lasted just one day for Zaheer, he's not been the same bowler and has an exhausted air about him. A jaded walk back to his mark almost symbolises Zaheer now. And he's not far from admitting that he spent himself in winning the World Cup for India. It was a deal he entered into with his conscious mind, and it's becoming evident now. Considered to be India's spearhead on the tour of Australia, Ishant Sharma returned home on one leg. His ankle, which had been avoiding the scalpel for a while, had no choice left than to go under the knife - which shut the IPL 5 door for Ishant. After a long recuperation layoff, he is now back in the India whites but with two F's followed by a question mark fitness and form. At 23, age is totally on Ishant's side but he needs to focus on what isn't, and that's his frail frame and fitness. Fast bowling is a slog in the subcontinent, and Ishant's fitness will be tested to the hilt with India playing at home for the next 12 months or so. If the Delhi lad can last the length even with average success, it will be considered a major victory. If anyone, it's Umesh Yadav who promises the most among the Indian pacers with his intent to crack open the batsman's bulwark. Well built and with ability to move the ball both ways at over 140kmph consistently, he is rarity in India's non-existent fast-bowling culture where tear-away fast bowlers compromise on speed fearing injuries and shortened career. Yadav signaled his willingness to buy wickets on unhelpful Indian tracks with nine wickets in two Tests against West Indies last year. And though the Australia trip didn't prove life-changing for Yadav, it was good learning curve for a bowler who is just 24, six Tests old and can serve India for long if used judiciously. But when we talk of India's fast bowling prowess on a whole, it's a leopard that can't change its spots. Yes, spin bowling has been India's strength and won most matches, but when it comes to travelling out of the subcontinent, it's the fast bowlers who get you the most wickets, unless you are Tiger Pataudi with a spin quartet in your pocket. India need to realise that, and there's no better time to do it with Zaheer still around to guide Ishant, Umesh and the other upcoming crop, or it will be back to square one at the end of this home season. http://cricketnext.in.com/live/news/focus-on-indian-bowling-not-batting/67349-13.html

[Crookbond]

Phirse no quote :headshake:

[Number]

You can only focus on something that exists. :P

[Ultimate_Game]

Our bowling resources are so non-existent that we have simly given up on our bowling

[PaceAttack]

Today Ganguly was pitching for Dinda for the test team while commentating and he was not happy with Ishant being in the scheme of things which really disappointed me. This is clear case of regionalism. We just don't encourage fast bowlers who can bowl quick.

[rkt.india]

Our bowling resources are so non-existent that we have simly given up on our bowling

Non-existent is not the problem, issue non-management according to me. We have enough bowlers who are good enough and can be guided, but there no is attempt in that direction. Ishant Yadav Aaron Awana RP Singh Nechim VP Singh Shami Suyal Anwar Ahmed Tyagi S Wagh D Kulkarni BK Sangwan They all are talented bowlers, but are nor taken really taken care of well. There is no real management to make them improve, to guide them, to bring them to international level by BCCI.

[Crookbond]

^ +1 I doubt there is a long-term workload management plan. In the current scenario, it should be high priority.

[Ultimate_Game]

Non-existent is not the problem, issue non-management according to me. We have enough bowlers who are good enough and can be guided, but there no is attempt in that direction. Ishant Yadav Aaron Awana RP Singh Nechim VP Singh Shami Suyal Anwar Ahmed Tyagi S Wagh D Kulkarni BK Sangwan They all are talented bowlers, but are nor taken really taken care of well. There is no real management to make them improve, to guide them, to bring them to international level by BCCI.

Ishant & Umesh are the only ones who give any hope. Aaron is injured most of the time else he could have been a good resource for us especially in shorter formats. RP Singh is a has been and rest of them like Dhawal Kulkarni are 120 kph trundlers. There's not even one prospect which makes you sit up and go "wow".

[GautiMaan]

We have enough resources to focus on both,the problem is the lack of planning in any level

[rkt.india]

Ishant & Umesh are the only ones who give any hope. Aaron is injured most of the time else he could have been a good resource for us especially in shorter formats. RP Singh is a has been and rest of them like Dhawal Kulkarni are 120 kph trundlers. There's not even one prospect which makes you sit up and go "wow".

They are good enough, most of them. It is all about development then. I saw Shami bowl live and it was breathtaking stuff by him where no other bowler came close the menace he bowled in the same match and now it is all about how he develops further. VPS is an excellent prospect, just turned 20, already bowl 140K, Suyal, look at his short FC record SR 38 best left arm seamer in FC cricket. You dont champion world class bowlers from FC cricket. They develop over a period of time. Kulkarni is a serious prospect who can move ball both ways at decent pace and mostly bowls in good areas but how they are going to progress. The problem is management of these guys. Kulkarni should have been going to New Zealand with A team, but since Cheeka became selector, he is nowhere near selectors radar and remember he was picked for NZ tour in 2009, did not play any match but is forgotten for no reason after that. Cheeka couldn't see anyone beyond Vinay and Mithun. :wall:

[rkt.india]

Gurinder Sandhu is a good example. He is an Indian origin bowler but see how he will blossom in coming years because he is in Australian system, not Indian.

[Vilander]

Ishant & Umesh are the only ones who give any hope. Aaron is injured most of the time else he could have been a good resource for us especially in shorter formats. RP Singh is a has been and rest of them like Dhawal Kulkarni are 120 kph trundlers. There's not even one prospect which makes you sit up and go "wow".

Shami bowled in india a tour to WI, the coach claimed him to be 140+ during his last spell of the day. Awana,Nechim are not express but bowled plenty of 140 + in ipl, so they look like 130+ fast medium level in tests.

[Ultimate_Game]

Shami bowled in india a tour to WI, the coach claimed him to be 140+ during his last spell of the day. Awana,Nechim are not express but bowled plenty of 140 + in ipl, so they look like 130+ fast medium level in tests.

I have been burnt too many times before taking Indian coaches word for the skill levels of the bowlers. Remember Unadkat in SA and he was supposed to be the next best thing. The guy was clocking early 120s and was an embarrassment :facepalm:

[kubrickian]

Non-existent is not the problem, issue non-management according to me. We have enough bowlers who are good enough and can be guided, but there no is attempt in that direction. Ishant Yadav Aaron Awana RP Singh Nechim VP Singh Shami Suyal Anwar Ahmed Tyagi S Wagh D Kulkarni BK Sangwan They all are talented bowlers, but are nor taken really taken care of well. There is no real management to make them improve, to guide them, to bring them to international level by BCCI.

I agree. None of the selectors have the ability to spot a talent and give them an opportunity where they can really shine. The problem is these bowlers have to "prove" themselves in Ranji trophy and that's impossible because the conditions are not conducive to pace bowling. For instance, Indian pace bowlers in the present test barely even bowled 25 overs and these are the conditions where other domestic bowlers are supposed to take wickets consistently. How is that going to happen ? By the time they slog through the whole circuit for seasons, they lose confidence and also get more prone to injuries.

[Gunner]

The major reason for India lagging behind in the fast bowling is the lack of pace-friendly pitches at the domestic level. If the curators leave some grass and prepare pitches with good bounce, we'll see more and more bowlers who want to bowl fast. With good fast bowlers, we won't be humiliated 0-8 when we tour overseas.

[Crookbond]

^ That's not going to happen - very difficult to make such pitches given our weather conditions.

[rkt.india]

^ That's not going to happen - very difficult to make such pitches given our weather conditions.

Not impossible. Look at the Wankhede and Dharmshala pitches in IPL. I had never seen such fast and bouncy pitches in India before. It is all about intent. Watch the hghlights of deccan vs MI match at Wankhede? You will believe it is possible. Wankhede track had good pace, movement and bounce all throughout. Watch how VPS was troubling SRT in that match. Watch magical Steyn spell.

[Crookbond]

Not impossible. Look at the Wankhede and Dharmshala pitches in IPL. I had never seen such fast and bouncy pitches in India before. It is all about intent. Watch the hghlights of deccan vs MI match at Wankhede? You will believe it is possible. Wankhede track had good pace' date=' movement and bounce all throughout. Watch how VPS was troubling SRT in that match. Watch magical Steyn spell.[/quote'] I have played at the Wankhede and the bounce is not that much - I guess they have changed the pitch after the WC 2011. Anyways, the only pitch in India which is like Perth is the Anantpur Cricket ground [1]. Mohali and Dharmshala comes next. Once upon a time long, long ago - Bangalore and Chennai had some bounce too but that has disappeared over the years. The ground at Mysore where the Ranji Trophy finals was played in 2010 was great too! But, you can't prepare a Perth like wicket in India given the soil composition - very difficult. You will just have one or two such pitches. [1] http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/554214.html

[youngindia]

I for one would like to see taller bowlers (and or as an alternative 510's with athletic gifts) can't even a few 6 3+ be identified? there is little point in seeing 57 to 510 trundling their way through a average acreer.

[Crookbond]

I for one would like to see taller bowlers (and or as an alternative 510's with athletic gifts) can't even a few 6 3+ be identified? there is little point in seeing 57 to 510 trundling their way through a average acreer.

Malcolm Marshal says HI.