Spare a thought for Vinay Kumar

[rkt.india]

Cricket, like any other sport, provides the stage for its players to put on performances that push the boundaries of what was thought to be possible. But the very best can sometimes go hand in hand with the very worst. When South Africa successfully chased 434 runs against Australia in 2006, that remarkable chase expanded possibilities, while also providing us a piece of trivia in Mick Lewis, who had the worst returns in the history of ODIs. Poor Vinay Kumar almost pulled a Mick Lewis last week. He is now the new owner of a shiny fifth spot in the all-time list of ODI bowling ineptitude. If it is any consolation to him, he made only the greatest spinner the game has known vacate the spot for him. I made a few wisecracks at his expense as his nightmare was unfolding (9-0-102-1), but it must have been so hard on him. Sure, he is not express fast, he was bowling to batsmen who were swinging at almost everything, and any error in length or line was summarily punished. The size of the Chinnaswamy Stadium didn't help either. Bowlers much more experienced than him, much faster than he ever could be, also feature on the list of expensive analyses, some of them multiple times, notably Lasith Malinga, Dale Steyn, James Anderson and Brett Lee. I am aware of the all-encompassing darkness that he must have been shrouded in. It is a slippery slope. Once the confidence goes, it is extremely hard to get any semblance of control back. The top of the bowling mark feels like the loneliest place on the face of the earth, and you seem to have the weight of the world on your shoulders. More than anything, it is the feeling of letting your mates down that eats away at you. You don't really want to bowl another delivery, and you just want the day to be over as soon as possible. I used to open the bowling for my university club team in the US, and we travelled every weekend in the summer to cricket grounds in Maryland and Virginia to play weekend matches. My worst bowling performance came against a team called "Windies", primarily composed of gentlemen who were expats from Jamaica. Their opening batsman, Windell Thomas, a tall, bespectacled skinny wicketkeeper, ripped me apart as he opened the batting in chase of a huge score. We were aware of Windell's excellence (he had scored a century against us in the previous season too) but the nonchalant ferocity with which he, in the company of their No. 3, Garry Philbert, a dreadlocked Jamaican, carried out the chase completely knocked me off my game. I went for 70 in seven overs without taking a wicket. In terms of the international game, that kind of economy rate would place me right between the legend that is Ajit Agarkar and Nuwan Zoysa. It was a regular season league game on the outskirts of Washington DC during the summer of 2005. After a slow start, my university team, which featured a former India U-15 player, Maninder Singh Bola, began to build momentum towards a big total. These are 40-over games, and generally 160 is a pretty good score. Since this match was in a smaller ground - one of the side boundaries couldn't have been more than 60 yards away - our estimation was that 200 would put us in a good place to beat the team that had creamed us the previous season. When Maninder finished unbeaten on 120-odd in a total of about 250, we felt we had the game in the bag. Oops! When I came on to bowl, everything I tried did not work. I tried to bowl full, and was hit over the top to the straight boundary. I tried to bowl short and was pulled to the short square boundaries. I tried a few offcutters, which only sat up for Windell and Garry to place where they pleased. I took myself out of the attack to come back later, only for the beat-down to continue where it had left off. I was defeated at the end of my miserable seven overs (one short of the maximum allowed per bowler), with the guilt of letting my team-mates down, especially after the wonderful century by Maninder, eroding me on the insides. I tried to put on a shrug-the-shoulders façade, as if to say, "It wasn't my day, and it happens." Luckily for me, I got an opportunity later in the season when I had the ball in my hand to take the final wicket in the defence of a small total, and I came through for my team. Mick Lewis played his last game for Australia when he gave away those 113 runs in that 434-game. I sincerely hope that this isn't the last time Vinay Kumar dons the India colours. After all, he was the leading wicket-taker for India in the 2011-12 Commonwealth Bank tri-series, and the fact that the World Cup, in 14 months, is in Australia and New Zealand, could mean he might just be kept around the team. He may not be the most celebrated bowler around but this would be a horrible way to go out for any international cricketer.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/blogs/content/story/685907.html

[Zanjeer]

He has got way more than what he deserved. Its time we moved on.

[Old guy]

Oh please its not about vinay its about team here Juast because its sad the way it ended for him does not means some one better should keep waiting

[spiron]

Vinay, and dinda can go to domestic circuit and IPL. They ll earn good and wont harm Indian team's prospects. If Ishant doesnt cuts his hair, and learn how to bowl.. he ll be kicked with spike shoes out of the team and then, he too will follow the gentlemen mentioned above.

[Number]

Sad to see a serious prospect going this way. Hopefully he'll be selected for WI ODIs as some pacers will be rested. Good chance he'll have some success against WI ODI bats and he'll be on the plane to South Africa. :yay:

[Lord]

I feel sad for Jogi.didnt even get to play much.atleast Vinay.ofcourse who cares both are crap :((

[Lord]

Sad to see a serious prospect going this way. Hopefully he'll be selected for WI ODIs as some pacers will be rested. Good chance he'll have some success against WI ODI bats and he'll be on the plane to South Africa. :yay:

and there hit 150 :nice:

[nevada]

It is time to spare a thought for unselected young fast bowlers toiling in the domestic circuit. Give a chance to more bowlers and do rotation.

[goose]

i fart on Vinay Kumar.

[saneindian]

55* for Karnataka against super fast Aaron and Shukla..the maha trundler has started to his comeback bid earnestly

[vvvslaxman]

yea.. spared.. now he can go back.. a bowler with zero skills

[jf1gp_1]

Vinay ofcourse has his strengths but he has to realize he wont be a success in international cricket Ofcourse he has a part to play in domestic cricket and i have no doubt he will continue the good work.

[jalebi_bhai]

He isn't good enough........time to move on........

[Pagalpanti]

He got to debut at Perth. Nothing short of disgrace to fast bowling in cricket..

[express bowling]

Spare a thought for him ..... Hmmm Even better ..... I will spare him the humiliation of letting his country down really badly. Please stick to domestic cricket Sir. :nice:

[Straight Drive]

He is more costly than an Onion :haha:

[FischerTal]

Chutta nahin hain sorry

[G_B_]

Cry me a river. That 434 chase ended Mick Lewis' career. The poor guy then retired due to injury and had to get another job. (though that was a nice middle class job). Ie it virtually ended his earning potential via cricket. Vinay kumar was earning $700,000 per season in the IPL. His net worth must be more than most people on this forum. There is a good chance somebody will snap him up for $200-$300k in the next auction. The fact of the matter is that you dont need to be in the Indian team now a days to make a good earning via cricket. You probably need to be in the top 150 cricketers in India and you will end up earning about $100,000 plus. Which goes a long long way. It does not seem to be affecting Vinay either. The reason being (A) India won the game (B) He is going well for Karnataka with bat and ball based on the latest ranji game.

[Sean Bradley]

Phaaak Vinay Kumar & Phaaak the writer of this article :finger:

[vayuu1]

Mera lobda spare a thought ,him and isshant have been so much pain,thank god wefans have been spared.