India's blunt spearhead

[vvvslaxman]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-australia-2013-14/content/story/680147.html India's blunt spearhead Ishant Sharma has been a disappointment in ODIs, proving ineffective with new ball and old for the majority of his six-year career Abhishek Purohit "I love being the spearhead of the Indian bowling attack," :hysterical: Ishant Sharma had said in August. "It is a privilege for any fast bowler." :giggle: After the first ODI against Australia four days ago, MS Dhoni said: "As he is part of the side for a long time now, he has to improve his death bowling." Dhoni was referring to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, but one could be forgiven for thinking the India captain had been demanding more from Ishant, the self-acknowledged "spearhead" of his attack. Bhuvneshwar has taken 25 wickets in 19 ODIs at an average of 25.76 and an economy rate of 4.15, creditable figures for someone who is primarily a new-ball swing bowler. Dhoni is within his rights to ask for improvement with the old ball from Bhuvneshwar, but it must be kept in mind that he has not completed a year in international cricket, and has been the only India seamer to go for less than run a ball in both ODIs against Australia. Ishant has been playing international cricket for more than six years. In Pune and Jaipur, he went for eight and almost eight per over for a solitary wicket in the 50th over. Given the captain's expectations of an inexperienced Bhuvneshwar, you would think he would be setting much higher standards for Ishant, who should qualify as the leader of the attack by the sheer amount of time he's been around. Ishant, however, is falling short. "Unlucky Ishant" :haha: stopped being an excuse a long time ago. Few bowlers are lucky enough to play 51 Tests, and only the luckiest manage to do so averaging 38. A lot has been said in favour of Ishant the Test bowler: that he shouldn't be judged only by his numbers, that he has this rare tireless determination to keep bowling, that his commitment to training is unmatched by fellow fast bowlers in the team. These arguments, arguable at best, don't apply to limited-overs cricket. Ten overs is all a fast bowler is required to run in for in an ODI. He is expected, chiefly, to pick up wickets with the new ball and prevent the opposition from scoring big at the death. A spearhead might be reasonably expected to lead by example on both counts. Ishant has not. While bowling during the first 15 overs in 67 ODIs, he averages 45.35 for 28 wickets at an economy rate of 5.33. Neither does he get the wickets of specialist batsmen early, nor is he able to keep them quiet. In contrast, Bhuvneshwar has played his new-ball role superbly so far - taking 22 wickets in 19 innings, an average of 21.90 and economy rate of 3.85 in that period. In the last ten overs, Ishant's economy rate shoots up to 7.38. His bowling average also drops sharply to 24.22 for 31 wickets, which is more than what he manages with the new ball. This suggests that both Ishant's overall wickets tally and average are inflated by cheap dismissals of batsmen looking to have a slog at the death. "(It is) important we don't give runs with the two new balls and take wickets," Dhoni said. "It is always good to have bowlers who can bowl well at the death also. Especially the three fast bowlers should be able to bowl at the end." Ishant has seldom delivered on either count. For someone who has bowled as much as he has, in excess of 500 overs, only Elton Chigumbura has a worse economy rate. The Zimbabwean at least has his batting to fall back on. In Pune, after having gone for 45 in 6.1 overs, Ishant had James Faulkner clobbering a wide delivery straight to extra cover in the last over of Australia's innings. He stared hard at the departing No 8 batsman as if he'd earned the dismissal, and proceeded to serve two length balls, one a slower one. No 10 Clint McKay launched both over midwicket. With the new ball, he'd bowled repeatedly short and wide to Aaron Finch, despite the opener's strength square of the wicket, and had been cut for several fours. In Jaipur, the 45th over of Australia's innings, which went for 17, was a perfect example of how little control Ishant provided to a captain who has partly built his limited-overs reputation on being able to exercise it. Often criticised for his failure to bowl full, Ishant tried doing so. Three balls were full tosses, two of which went for four. Two were wides down the leg side, and he was also fortunate to concede only a single to deep point off a full and wide one. At times, he kept bowling full despite mid-on and mid-off in the circle, and Dhoni had to run up to him in frustration. :cantstop: In his fledgling career, Bhuvneshwar concedes 8.46 an over in the last ten overs of an ODI, and Dhoni rightly wants him to improve. But with a "spearhead" who is ineffective with the new ball and with the old, and often shows no awareness as an ODI bowler, who can Bhuvneshwar look up to?

[vvvslaxman]

Posted by Subramanian Sethu Ramalingam on (October 17, 2013, 12:09 GMT) give the chance to Rajat Bhatia. One of the comment below the article :hysterical: There is nothing more to insult anyone If you think about it he won't be such a bad option compared to him

[Number]

Ishant CT avg 21, WI tri series avg 26, Pakistan series avg 15. 2 bad games on tracks where every bowler got thrashed and knives are out. Also his replacements are not really great.

[G_B_]

Oddly Ishant has good ODI stats. (in the Indian context) The problem for India is that we have too many pacers who are conceding more than 5.5 runs per over in their careers. Maybe India needs to forget looking for a pacer who can take wickets. Ie who averages high but has an econ of 5 or less.

[vvvslaxman]

Ishant CT avg 21, WI tri series avg 26, Pakistan series avg 15. 2 bad games on tracks where every bowler got thrashed and knives are out. Also his replacements are much worse.

Mohit, Shami, Unadkat all did well in Zimbabwe.

[G_B_]

just look at the economy rates of Umesh Vinay and Ishant. Or even some of our past bowlers

[velu]

needs a brain implant

[vvvslaxman]

His buffet bowling is covered by this "average" as a result of few lucky wickets. Bowlers don't get pilloried out of nowhere. Why do you think fans have an agenda against him if he bowls well. Unfortunately We cannot have statistic for "how one bowls in match situations". This guy has disappointed us far too many times.

[jalebi_bhai]

He bowled a good opening spell yesterday........but his death bowling was atrocious........I'd still want him in the team but he needs some proper guidance.......

[CoverDrive]

lol at the photo

[putrevus]

in ODI people get lot of cheap wickets and Ishant has been recipient of those , he has no fricking idea where to bowl he needs to go.

[mukka]

in ODI people get lot of cheap wickets and Ishant has been recipient of those ' date=' he has no fricking idea where to bowl he needs to go.[/quote']Agarkar who you claim to be a very good ODI bowler, is the king of so called cheap wickets. Look bowlers like IS and Vinay are what they are on the sub-continent tracks in ODI's. As long as the opponent bowlers leak more runs, they would have done their job, like last night.

[putrevus]

Agarkar who you claim to be a very good ODI bowler' date=' is the king of so called cheap wickets. Look bowlers like IS and Vinay are what they are on the sub-continent tracks in ODI's. As long as the opponent bowlers leak more runs, they would have done their job, like last night.[/quote'] go and look at his early career stats, he was far better than Ishant, and he was one Indian bowler who could bowl decent yorker. Ishant can tonked by anyone at anytime on any pitch that is problem with Ishant.For Ishant to get tonked pitch is irrelevant.

[mukka]

go and look at his early career stats, he was far better than Ishant, and he was one Indian bowler who could bowl decent yorker. Ishant can tonked by anyone at anytime on any pitch that is problem with Ishant.For Ishant to get tonked pitch is irrelevant.

You said cheap wickets, I responded to that. Agarkar had many in his kitty of 288.

[saneindian]

I hope they ask him to play the entire season of domestic cricket without picking him for the national cricket, needs a lot of work on his bowling. Has done well in ODIs prior to this series but looks confused on these flatter wickets and the dropped catches haven't helped either.

[vvvslaxman]

You said cheap wickets' date=' I responded to that. Agarkar had many in his kitty of 288.[/quote'] Sir Aggy did bowl very well to some top order batsmen. probably the best Indian bowler i have seen against Jayasuriya. His sharp incutter did cause him problems.Steve waugh was another guy who he constantly hurred. He was much sharper and nipper than Ishant. Secondly Sir Aggy was also butt of jokes in the early 2000s much like Ishant is now though Agarkar is definitely a better bowler than him.

[putrevus]

You said cheap wickets' date=' I responded to that. Agarkar had many in his kitty of 288.[/quote'] Taking top order wickets are not cheap wickets. Ishant rarely get them that is reason why he never bowls with new ball unlike AA who was a new ball bowler. I never said AA was waqar younis but he is far better in odis than Ishant sharma,

[youngindia]

ishant has a problem for the NEW SEASON .With his terrible form, there are not going to be too many good days. he was in some rhythm in the last season .this time no pace, no zip,no movement ,a sitting duck. citing the form of last season has relevance only for those continuing their good work like dhawan and rohit.

[Lord]

maniac :shout:

[The Realist]

Icant "bowl two decent balls an over" Sharma is the poster boy for talentless mediocrity. 67 ODIs, 95 wickets at an economy rate of nearly 6. Some people think he should have a spell in county cricket yet WHICH team would want this no-talent - he would not get in any other international team but somehow has become a regular in all formats in India. I want him banished forever