Dhoni criticises state teams for overbowling quicks

[CG]

India's ODI captain MS Dhoni has strongly criticised the state associations' handling of India's fast-bowling resources, suggesting they have used the fast bowlers "without checks and balances", and sometimes against the wishes of the said bowlers. His comments, following India's defeat in the semi-final of the World Cup in Sydney, mark the first time a member of the leadership group in Indian cricket has come close to identifying a reason for the continued mediocrity in their fast bowling, especially away from home. During India's ordinary performances overseas, it is usually their quick bowlers' inability to maintain intensity and pressure that has let them down. Another worrying trend has been that their fast bowlers lose their pace after one successful season to come back as trundlers. None of India's bowling coaches in the past - Eric Simons, Joe Dawes, their current bowling coach B Arun - Dhoni himself, new Test captain Virat Kohli has ever spoken publicly of what ails them. Instead there have been the usual catchphrases of the need for consistency, patience, right areas, and adjusting to conditions. Now that the bowlers have enjoyed a good run, with Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami in the top five wicket-takers in the World Cup, Dhoni has unloaded on state associations. When asked what was needed to nurture and protect the likes of Yadav and Shami, Dhoni said: "This is a problem that we have had for quite some time now in our set-up," Dhoni said at his post-match press conference. "Once a fast bowler completes his international assignment he is then asked by his local state associations to come and bowl in domestic cricket. However, there are no checks and balances on the number of overs they are being asked to bowl." Without naming any bowler, Dhoni suggested there was undue pressure on them to keep their state association happy. "If the fast bowler refuses to play domestic matches, then the local association gets annoyed and would grumble that, 'Now that you are playing for India means that you won't play for us.' So problems are there." Dhoni insisted on a proper log of the workload of the fast bowlers not just when they are with the team but throughout the year. "If we want to look at the interests of Indian cricket, we have to monitor the progress of fast bowlers as to how many overs they are sending down and what's the amount of workload they are taking," he said. "At the same time, our bowlers shouldn't play too many matches in Indian domestic cricket. They should play on and off." He did not, however, mention the bowlers' workload during the IPL or Champions League T20, at which time they are managed by the franchises. Indeed, the grouse of domestic coaches has been completely opposite to Dhoni's contention. They complain that India players are rarely available during the domestic season. They have also noticed extra caution and resistance to diving in the field towards the end of the season lest the players injure themselves just before the IPL. The statistics, too, don't bear much evidence of India quicks' being over-bowled by their state teams when compared against the overs bowled by them for their IPL teams. ...................

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india/content/story/856307.html?CMP=OTC-RSS

[MK55]

Australia is so careful in managing the work loads of their quick bowlers. Bowlers like Pattinson are carefully monitored. It is pathetic to watch someone like Aaron made to bowl around 50 overs on an unresponsive pitch.

[G_B_]

India needs a depth of about 7-8 quicks who can be rotated. In this tournament maybe Shami Umesh and Mohit should have got more rest and Binny and Bhuvi should have been used more.

[Precambrian]

The statistics, too, don't bear much evidence of India quicks' being over-bowled by their state teams when compared against the overs bowled by them for their IPL teams.

:hysterical: Is this a joke? Bowlers bowl a maximum of 60 odd overs in two months of IPL. Compare that with 40-50 they do in a single dom match? Crapinfo

[BeautifulGame]

Our NCA is useless crap set up just existing for some BCCI people to collect fat checks.

[Ultimate_Game]

Our NCA is useless crap set up just existing for some BCCI people to collect fat checks.

Not just NCA. All those pace academies and foundations such as MRF are a waste of time. We produced plenty of fast bowlers over the last decade (RP Singh, Balaji, Irfan Pathan, Sreesanth, Munaf, Zaheer, Pankaj Singh, VRV Singh, Praveen Kumar, Ishant etc.) and yet none of them bar Zaheer regressed after entering the Indian setup. Even for Zak, the change in his fortunes came when he stayed away from Indian setup and played a season in county cricket. This shows how useless our pace academies are.

[MK55]

:hysterical: Is this a joke? Bowlers bowl a maximum of 60 odd overs in two months of IPL. Compare that with 40-50 they do in a single dom match? Crapinfo

I was thinking the same. Such an idiotic assessment.

[MK55]

And its not just the total overs bowled. Quite often the bowlers are made to bowl long spells of 7-8 overs.

[vijay50]

While I understand bowlers concerns, post IPL days the players are more interested in bowling only for IPL dollars and not for state association, unless they are self motivated to play test cricket and doesnt mind the workload in state associations. Especially bowlers like Pissant who barely bowl well in International cricket, he has no rights to complain bowling his shiiitttyyy pies in domestic.

[Precambrian]

Jeez, Sidharth Monga, that moaner of all people. What a pathetic analysis. He's referring to Ishant, Mohit, Bhuvi etc being examples and then doing an analysis. Well sunshine, these are current players, and first choice players for India for starters. Dhoni is NOT referring to these guys in particular. Mohit still bowls 140+ easily on Aussie pitches. Bhuvi has always been a trundler to start with, so was Praveen Kumar. I am sure Dhoni is referring to the likes of Vinay Kumar, who started off being a high 130s bowler and has now become a 120s one. Vinay Kumar has bowled about 480 overs this season in just over 5 months. That's about 96 per month. Compare that with the workload in the IPL which is roughly around 60-65 in two months. Add to that in IPL, a bowler has to do only 4 overs a day, that too in the relatively cool evening/night as against bowling 15-20 overs on hot days in the domestic. Seriously, cricinfo has lost it.

[Ironhide]

India needs a depth of about 7-8 quicks who can be rotated. In this tournament maybe Shami Umesh and Mohit should have got more rest and Binny and Bhuvi should have been used more.

Bhuvi was already injured or half-fit, Can't take Binny as a serious pace bowler and Varun Aaron was sent back to India after Tests. Shami was definitely unfit in his lat match bowling 130-140k, whereas earlier matches he was bowling 140-146k.

[Precambrian]

While I understand bowlers concerns, post IPL days the players are more interested in bowling only for IPL dollars and not for state association, unless they are self motivated to play test cricket and doesnt mind the workload in state associations. Especially bowlers like Pissant who barely bowl well in International cricket, he has no rights to complain bowling his shiiitttyyy pies in domestic.

Which players? This is a stupid loop really. Domestic players NEED to perform well in domestic matches usually to get the IPL nod. There are exceptions like Kamran Khan etc but they have proved to be one time wonders who quickly got discarded afterwards. As to international players, they have international cricket as priority. India's international domestic season coincides with its domestic and its not a wonder that the likes of Ishant have not bowled enough in the domestic.

[Crookbond]

:hysterical: Is this a joke? Bowlers bowl a maximum of 60 odd overs in two months of IPL. Compare that with 40-50 they do in a single dom match? Crapinfo

Came here to write this - I mean bowling 3x 4 over spell in 4 days versus 1x12 over spell in 1 hour isn't the same.

[Precambrian]

Major bowlers and number of overs they sent down this season Vinay Kumar - 480 overs A Mithun - 462 Rishi Dhawan - 410 Pankaj Singh- 360 Dinda - 384 These guys are averaging 80-95 overs per month and that too over 4-5 months which is going to make them cut down on their pace to make it through the season. No wonder then they lose speeds. Dhoni's point is a well thought out one. There is zero planning from state associations side when it comes to handling of fast bowlers. The motto is simple, extract maximum while you can. Rishi Dhawan is such a promising all rounder. But expect him to join the ranks of Vinay Kumar/Joginder Sharma sooner than later.

[Ultimate_Game]

Major bowlers and number of overs they sent down this season Vinay Kumar - 480 overs A Mithun - 462 Rishi Dhawan - 410 Pankaj Singh- 360 Dinda - 384 These guys are averaging 80-95 overs per month and that too over 4-5 months which is going to make them cut down on their pace to make it through the season. No wonder then they lose speeds. Dhoni's point is a well thought out one. There is zero planning from state associations side when it comes to handling of fast bowlers. The motto is simple, extract maximum while you can. Rishi Dhawan is such a promising all rounder. But expect him to join the ranks of Vinay Kumar/Joginder Sharma sooner than later.

Rishi Dhawan should have been picked up for our last 2 away tours instead of Binny. Blame selectors for not encouraging the youngsters who are performing in domestic cricket.

[MK55]

Rishi Dhawan is such a promising all rounder. But expect him to join the ranks of Vinay Kumar/Joginder Sharma sooner than later.

The damage is already done I suppose. Saw a bit of Dhawan in a recent match and was bowling in the range 117k-123k. ABD bowls at 127k. :haha: There has to be some mandate when it comes to the number of overs bowled by the test bowlers or at least the quick bowlers with past injury concerns.

[Precambrian]

On a comparison, Aussie bowlers this FC season Doug Bollinger - 216 overs Peter Siddle - 215 overs Sandhu - 204 overs Nathan Coulter Nile - 196 overs Ben Hilfenhaus - 177 overs Sean Abbott - 196 overs There are hardly any pace bowlers who have bowled over 300 let alone 350 in this season. And most of them are discarded guys like James Hopes or those who have no chance of making the Aussie team like Rimmington.

[Precambrian]

Rishi Dhawan should have been picked up for our last 2 away tours instead of Binny. Blame selectors for not encouraging the youngsters who are performing in domestic cricket.

The damage is already done I suppose. Saw a bit of Dhawan in a recent match and was bowling in the range 117k-123k. ABD bowls at 127k. :haha: There has to be some mandate when it comes to the number of overs bowled by the test bowlers or at least the quick bowlers with past injury concerns.

Uh oh... So he's also descended into the trundler hell. :((

[Lord]

Rishi Dhawan was always trundler

[Precambrian]

Rishi Dhawan was always trundler

Well, I don't expect every 20 yr old to sent down 150 kmp corkers. They generally start off at 130 and as they grow they add on the km. But with such stupid workloads, almost double that of their Australian counterparts for example, its only a matter of 1 or 2 seasons before they take the safe route - become trundlers. It's upto NCA and BCCI to identify real bowling talent and then protect and nurture them at any cost. Cottonwool them if needed - don't make them bowl more than 200 overs a season, yes there might be failures but at least there got to be a start somewhere. Naturally, when other young and upcoming bowlers see this, and that their career is somewhat 'guaranteed' by the BCCI, they'll be motivated to actually develop on their speeds rather than a longer, risk free trundler career.