Shami’s Decline Could Be Due To Excessive Workload As India’s Premier Pacer

[kaptaan]

SHAMI’S DECLINE COULD BE DUE TO EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD AS INDIA’S PREMIER PACER - aakash chopra It’s not often that an Indian fast bowler takes a nine-wicket haul on his Test debut on Indian soil. Mohammed Shami’s spell on the rather docile Eden Gardens pitch against the West Indies last year raised a billion hopes. He got the ball to reverse-swing both ways, he was accurate and most importantly, he bowled fast. He was consistently touching 140 kmph speed, with accuracy. Toe crushers were back in style and after a long time, an Indian bowler was beating an international batsman with pace. It felt that Indian cricket had unearthed a rare commodity. I was particularly impressed with his approach to the crease -- close to the stumps release, high-arm action, perfect wrist position that enabled upright seam presentation and also the areas in which he bowled. His pitch-maps for the first few games were quite identical as far as the lines were concerned—always around the off-stump. Once you bowl from close to the stumps with a high-arm action, you don’t create angles and if you can follow it up with a consistent off-stump line, the job of a batsman becomes difficult. To play or not to play is then his biggest dilemma. But it seems that the bowler we saw at the Eden Gardens and in the subsequent few matches didn’t take the flight to New Zealand, for both the accuracy and the speed has been missing. While he had some success with the new ball in the ODI series, his old ball numbers (a boundary every fourth ball after the 40th over) and the potency in both the Test matches was below par. He’s still running in hard, the arm is still high, he’s still close to the stumps and the ball is coming out okay too, yet something is amiss. Both the consistency with regards to the off-stump channel and the pace has gone missing. When he’s trying to bowl an out-swinger, the ball, instead of remaining close to the off-stump, is finishing at least a foot-and-a-half wider. The extra width allows the batsman to free his arms. When he tries to bring it back to the right-hander, the ball drifts down the leg side for easy runs. It doesn’t come as a surprise that he’s looked half the bowler in New Zealand than he really is. The obvious questions that come to mind are—have international batsmen deciphered him and hence he’s trying different things? Or were the first few performances just a flash in the pan? Finally, is he carrying an injury? Shami hasn’t played that much cricket to be deciphered and, more importantly, I don’t think that he’s trying to reinvent himself. I also strongly feel that his first glimpses weren’t a fluke either, for he’s ticked most boxes needed for a fast bowler. While I can be reasonably sure about the first two, I can’t be a 100% accurate about the last one and hence would let it pass. So what’s plaguing India’s premier fast bowler? In my opinion, the workload is pulling him down. Ever since he’s made his Test debut in November, he’s played 17 international matches (Tests and ODIs combined) and bowled over 1900 balls. In the same period, Mitchell Johnson has bowled 1451 balls, Junaid Khan bowled 1433 and Tim Southee only 1395 balls. Becoming the spearhead of Indian fast bowling has come at a hefty price, for he’s been asked to the bowl maximum number of overs among pacers in his first season at the highest level. This is the most Shami has bowled in a span of 100 days in his entire career. Once, in the season of 2012-13, he bowled 2200 balls but that was spread across 180 days, which meant a lot of rest and time for recuperation. Also, bowling at the highest level takes a lot more out of a bowler than bowling in Ranji/Duleep Trophy. The knowledge that millions are watching and the fact that every bad ball gets dispatched to the fence ensures that you never bowl at your 70%, at least not in your first season at the top. The muscles that were used to working only half as hard are pushed to do twice the work without a significant change in their strength. As a member of the Indian team, he would be getting special attention but it’s too short a time to transform him physically.ami has been an exciting find and it’s in Indian cricket’s interest that he’s managed well or else he might either drop a little bit of pace or get dropped from the loop completely. A stich in time would save nine.

http://www.starsports.com/cricket/columns/columnist=134/articleid=1306980/index.html#shami-decline-could-attributed-excessive-workload-india-premier-fast-bowler

[GautiMaan]

I still dont understand why he was played in all ODIs in NZ even after the series was llost when we could have tried Pandey

[Iconoclast]

His workload in tests in particularly harsh because India don't play a fifth bowling option. I think he should have been rested for the Asia Cup where low and slow pitches aren't going to help pacers.

[Cricket_Hacker]

when you have Ishant/Zaheer/Vinay/Mohit for partner,things can only decline

[Switchblade]

His workload in tests in particularly harsh because India don't play a fifth bowling option. I think he should have been rested for the Asia Cup where low and slow pitches aren't going to help pacers.

+1 Sent from my Micromax A110 using Tapatalk

[express bowling]

I am a big fan of Aakash Chopra's analysis. Generally points out valid issues.

[King Tendulkar]

Should miss asia cup and should have missed out a few odis in nz yes chopra is good writer Although my respect will go up massively for any pundit who has guts to call for dhonis head on a platter

[express bowling]

Why is Shami played in all ODIs is a mystery. There is no system of pacer management. India not playing 5 bowlers outside the subcontinent is putting a lot of strain on all pacers. This issue needs to be addressed asap.

[express bowling]

Should miss asia cup and should have missed out a few odis in nz yes chopra is good writer Although my respect will go up massively for any pundit who has guts to call for dhonis head on a platter

The logic being used by most experts , that the world cup is close and hence no change of captaincy or coach is possible, makes no sense. The world cup is in Australia-NZ. Dhoni Fletcher combo are losing all the outside subcontinent ODIs now and look totally disoriented. How can any change be worse than this ?

[Switchblade]

Why is Shami played in all ODIs is a mystery. There is no system of pacer management. India not playing 5 bowlers outside the subcontinent is putting a lot of strain on all pacers. This issue needs to be addressed asap.

Always believed he should have been rested for the meaningless Asia Cup and for the T20 as well along with IPL but by the time he goes to England I fear he will become another trundler the management of fast bowlers by the Board has been very disappointing.

[express bowling]

Always believed he should have been rested for the meaningless Asia Cup and for the T20 as well along with IPL but by the time he goes to England I fear he will become another trundler the management of fast bowlers by the Board has been very disappointing.

Shami needs to be rested in unimportant matches and tournaments.

[Sooda]

Hope he does not play much IPL. I think he has only ever played one or two matches for KKR. He should not be in the T20 squad or the Asia Cup. Who cares about Asia cup anyway. Dhawal made the squad vs WI last year but never featured. It would have been fair and consistent if he at least made subsequent squads, could have played Asia Cup and/or in NZ

[Switchblade]

Hope he does not play much IPL. I think he has only ever played one or two matches for KKR. He should not be in the T20 squad or the Asia Cup. Who cares about Asia cup anyway. Dhawal made the squad vs WI last year but never featured. It would have been fair and consistent if he at least made subsequent squads' date=' could have played Asia Cup and/or in NZ[/quote'] This time he will play more games as he is the strike bowler for Delhi Daredevils.

[vvvslaxman]

India and Paksitan have strange team selections. India despite having better batting line up always goes for an extra batsman. Pakistan despite having better bowling line up always goes for an extra bowlers

[NareshK]

I dont think he has declined. He got 4 wickets in an innings in 2nd test and 3 wickets in an innings in 1st test against New Zealand. He has done decently in SA as well and its mighty hard to bowl against the best batting line up in the world in their home conditions. He is still only in learning stages of his career and will get better as he gets more experienced. Is Akash Chopra expecting 9 wickets from him in every match ? :facepalm: I honestly think there is too much scrutiny and over expectations. Yes, he should have been rested for Asia Cup but I think he has done well recently and not declined in performance like its mentioned in the OP.

[NareshK]

Back in the day, you used to have lots of rest between tests and ODIs. Nowadays, its just endless cricket throughout the year without any gap. Fast bowlers especially will find it hard to be at their best in every game and most of them dont last a season and get injured frequently. Nowadays, you rarely have fast bowlers who average 25 in test matches.

[putrevus]

That is problem with indian team when ever a remotely good fast bowler comes into picture , he is bowled to death . once he loses his sting which will be very soon as noone can keep up with this insane amount of cricket let alone fast bowler ww all will screaming see there no good fast bowler in India. It is almost a crime to be a good fast bowler in India , he will be bowled to death by moronic captains.

[G_B_]

to be frank he should not be struggling at this stage of his career. County cricket is infact more rigorous than what he has played with india with back to back 4 day games.

[vvvslaxman]

to be frank he should not be struggling at this stage of his career. County cricket is infact more rigorous than what he has played with india with back to back 4 day games.

India does not have load sharing bowlers. Guy like him would be ideal for short, sharp spells. Considering we dont even have decent part timer, going in with 4 bowlers mean his endurance level will be tested. India must go in with 5 bowlers.

[putrevus]

to be frank he should not be struggling at this stage of his career. County cricket is infact more rigorous than what he has played with india with back to back 4 day games.

But even in county cricket rookies are given rest, they dont go thru the grind of veterans.