Munaf Patel against WI in 2006

[NareshK]

I don't think he has lost too much pace actually. He still bowled around 135k the last time I saw him play in IPL and he was perhaps a little quicker when he started out. He always had good control over line and length and bowled well in World Cup Semi Final and Final. The big problem with him is fitness and he is very injure prone and slow on the field. We also tend to judge bowlers based on how they bowl on flat batting pitches in India and dismiss them too soon. Many of the selectors or coaches or former cricketers in India don't have good knowledge about seam/pace bowling and don't have ability to judge the talent or ability of a quick bowler and don't know when he is doing well or not. They just go with stats.

[Forever Indian]

He was bowling up to 145K in his debut test against England.

Before that England match he came into the limelight in the warm-up match vs England where he was getting the England batman bowled with 145 K balls at near yorker lengths. He was very impressive and was immediately called into squad from nowhere.

[vayuu1]

He used be a bowler who used to clock early 140's to early 150's, I remember him rattling Stephen flemming with his pace and trapping him lbw,sadly dada ji ki hadia jawab de gayi.Those were the days when pathan and balaji were exceptional .

[Forever Indian]

There are many reasons as discussed above that Munaf lost his way. But the top one IMP is his change of attitude. As they say name and fame destroys some, thats what happened to Munaf. He stopped putting in the hardwork and became content with a place in the ODI team. Then was playing for Mumbai Indians as a main seamer and was happy doing that. Never ever showed the urge to be back to what he previously was similar to the attitude of RP Singh. Unless the change in attitude happens, he will at the max want to be in an IPL team.

[Sean Bradley]

How can a bowler turn into a rank trundler over the period of 7 years ? its a shame that he was unable to maintain his fitness and couldnt do justice to his abilities.

[vayuu1]

I think his coaching stint with Bobby darling didn't help him either

[Zanjeer]

Watch his run up.He really used to run in quick.And then Chappel asked him to drop pace and get accuracy and destroyed him.Saala Chappel pushed back Indian cricket by couple of years. Sent from my GT-I9500 using Tapatalk 2

He didn't had the fitness to bowl fast all day. I remember DD telecasted one of the domestic match in which he played against Tamil Nadu on 2005 I think. I was interested in watching who the new bowler who was considered to be one of the fastest bowlers at that time. Munaf was bowling extremely quick and I got all excited watching him ripping apart TN batsmen. I think Dinesh karthick scored a century in that match. He took on munaf but munaf was still bowling very quick. But, he collapsed during the match and could not bowl with the same venom after that. I vividly remember him sitting on the ground completely exhausted and by his body language one could easily tell that he was telling the captain that he could not bowl anymore. He just didn't had the fitness to bowl fast for a long period of time.

[Malcolm Merlyn]

He didn't had the fitness to bowl fast all day. I remember DD telecasted one of the domestic match in which he played against Tamil Nadu on 2005 I think. I was interested in watching who the new bowler who was considered to be one of the fastest bowlers at that time. Munaf was bowling extremely quick and I got all excited watching him ripping apart TN batsmen. I think Dinesh karthick scored a century in that match. He took on munaf but munaf was still bowling very quick. But, he collapsed during the match and could not bowl with the same venom after that. I vividly remember him sitting on the ground completely exhausted and by his body language one could easily tell that he was telling the captain that he could not bowl anymore. He just didn't had the fitness to bowl fast for a long period of time.

Well no one can bowl 145 plus all day.And you never know what was the heat in Chennai.But i remember in that series in WI he was quick throughout the test series. He gave a interview in 2006 saying that he reduced pace on advise of Chappel and the then bowling coach and he wants to be like Mcgrath. In 2003 when he first came to the scene Lillee was all gaga over him and said Munaf had the talent to be the best.His 1st FC match was againist NZ touring side having the likes of fleming richardson and astle. and he got both fleming and astle in both innings and actually had them beaten for pace and sharp in cut.Richardson was hit by Patel and couldnt play in second innings. In 2006 in the tour match vs England he was devastating and took a 10 fer.TBH he was brilliant in his first season.

[rkt.india]

Well no one can bowl 145 plus all day.And you never know what was the heat in Chennai.But i remember in that series in WI he was quick throughout the test series. He gave a interview in 2006 saying that he reduced pace on advise of Chappel and the then bowling coach and he wants to be like Mcgrath. In 2003 when he first came to the scene Lillee was all gaga over him and said Munaf had the talent to be the best.His 1st FC match was againist NZ touring side having the likes of fleming richardson and astle. and he got both fleming and astle in both innings and actually had them beaten for pace and sharp in cut.Richardson was hit by Patel and couldnt play in second innings. In 2006 in the tour match vs England he was devastating and took a 10 fer.TBH he was brilliant in his first season.

He was the best natural talent coming out of India after Zaheer and I pity how some of these guys did not respect the gifted talent they possessed. He was such a treat 6 feet 3, could bowl 140 plus, reverse the ball, had good bouncer, and a good yorker when he first came on to the scene. Nothing materialized after his first 6 tests. His injury in SA test series when he played Capetown test despite injury changed his mindset and everything that followed was a travesty and advises made it worse. He was never the same bowler after that. We never knew how to manage a fast bowler.

[CG]

He was the best natural talent coming out of India after Zaheer and I pity how some of these guys did not respect the gifted talent they possessed. He was such a treat 6 feet 3' date=' could bowl 140 plus, reverse the ball, had good bouncer, and a good yorker when he first came on to the scene. Nothing materialized after his first 6 tests. His injury in SA test series when he played Capetown test despite injury changed his mindset and everything that followed was a travesty and advises made it worse. He was never the same bowler after that. We never knew how to manage a fast bowler.[/quote'] he had a terrible seam position and he lacked stamina to maintain pace.Yes if managed properly with good coaches he might have corrected seam position and trained well he might have gained stamina but he himself was lazy and did not have a cricketing brain so he is to blame.

[maniac]

He was the best natural talent coming out of India after Zaheer and I pity how some of these guys did not respect the gifted talent they possessed. He was such a treat 6 feet 3' date= could bowl 140 plus, reverse the ball, had good bouncer, and a good yorker when he first came on to the scene. Nothing materialized after his first 6 tests. His injury in SA test series when he played Capetown test despite injury changed his mindset and everything that followed was a travesty and advises made it worse. He was never the same bowler after that. We never knew how to manage a fast bowler.

That would unfortunately be sreeshanth :(( Munaf lacked Physical fitness where as Sreeshanth lacked Mental fitness

[rkt.india]

That would unfortunately be sreeshanth :(( Munaf lacked Physical fitness where as Sreeshanth lacked Mental fitness

Sreesanth also lacked physical fitness. Fitness is what you can get while working on it. I am talking about raw natural talent. Munaf was the best in that regard. He had everything going for him., height, pace, seam, reverse swing.

[rkt.india]

he had a terrible seam position and he lacked stamina to maintain pace.Yes if managed properly with good coaches he might have corrected seam position and trained well he might have gained stamina but he himself was lazy and did not have a cricketing brain so he is to blame.

Munaf seam was wobbly like Asif or now Mohit Sharma. It was not terrible. He used to get cut off seam with that seam. Yes, seam and fitness are kind of things you can work on if you want to. I was talking about raw natural talent and he was gifted with it. He did not realize his potential and went the lazy route. Though, he certainly had cricketing brain and knew how to to get the batsmen out unlike Yadav.

[maniac]

Sreesanth also lacked physical fitness. Fitness is what you can get while working on it. I am talking about raw natural talent. Munaf was the best in that regard. He had everything going for him.' date=' height, pace, seam, reverse swing.[/quote'] Sreeshanth had the best natural seam position ever....Munaf was not that much more pacier than Sree.....Sreeshanth was naturally gifted,can't deny that.....Munaf had pace and was a good exponent of reverse swing and his strength was line and length,which he clearly worked on,none of it is raw talent....don't misquote me,I am not saying he did not have talent but he was hardworking to where he got but then obviously for some reason he gave up.

[maniac]

^Also Sree was 6'0 too and after that Srilankan test he made a comeback in,even Dhoni acknowledged that he was the best exponent of Reverse Swing in India...Munaf no matter how much he disappointed us,I think made a smart transition to prolong his career by becoming a line and length bowler and beleive me even now I will take a fit Munaf over Vinay,Unadkat in LOI's

[rkt.india]

^Also Sree was 6'0 too and

Sreesanth is 5'10".

[maniac]

Sreesanth is 5'10".

Ok my bad on that one :five:

[rkt.india]

don't tell that to sree :haha:

Zaheer, Pathan are around 6 feet and he is shorter than them.

[rkt.india]

he thinks he is 6'1":yay:

He is at most 5'10"-11", not exactly 6 feet. :giggle:

[rkt.india]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfdlOjQOnO0]Brian Lara is TRAPPED in Front, Plumb LBW by Munaf Patel - YouTube[/ame]