The worst thing that could have happened to India down under was the selection of another dibbly-dobbly medium pacer like Bhandari.We can't hope to pose a serious threat to the Kangaroos unless we shun this policy of picking people on there recent performances instead of their promise.The time was ripe to give Munaf a chance to prove his metal,i am saying this because in the recently concluded 'A' series between Sri lanka , India and Pakistan Munaf looked reasonably sharp.Bhandari was able to pick wickets because he has been playing for six years on the domestic circuit;so this performance amounts to nothing if he is now delivering the goods when obviously he is not getting any younger.Bhandari was Medium fast at best in this tournament though he swung the ball admirably.I have nothing against him but we should look towards the future and blood a young turk like Munaf who is not afraid to use his speed to blast the batsmen.It is genuine pace which wins matches even though sometimes such bowlers are liable to go for runs. The selectors have again displayed shocking conservatism to stem the tide of growth which had made Indian cricket look rosier and healthier.
Ganguly searching for bowlers in my opinion is good Since young left handed pathan & Agarkar cannot alone handle the responsibilty.
Ganguly should promote ajit agarkar as a moddle order batsman since he has already been proved that he can bat by acoring a 95.By doing that he can accomodate another pace bowler like Bhandari or even regular keeper like Patel into the team
Another comment on the selection commitee is regarding Vinod Kambli who is still a very good test player.I couldn't understand why the selectors are not giving him an oppurtunity since this is his golden age in the carrier.The selectors should give him an opputunity to play some 2 or 3 years and have a decent retirement.
Same thing is happening with Lance Klusener of South Africa.
Whenever India plays a One-Day match , I am forced to ask "What is the objective?"
Are we building a team to win the next World Cup ?
1. If so find a few fast bowlers who can contribute with the bat. I would prefer Irfan Pathan to Nehra because he has a good temperament. I rarely see him with head down, whereas Nehra cannot take stick, a few fours off him and his head goes down.Irfan Pathan is also a better batsman & fielder than Nehra.
2. Decide who will play at which position & give him a long run there.It is because Bevan is playing at 6 from the begining of his career that he is the worlds best finisher. The top order can be shuffuled depending on situation. Yuvraj should always play at 6 & be developed to be a good finisher. He also has age on his side.
3. Stop being fixated on All Rounders. The team is full of one-day all rounders. Sachin,Shewag,Ganguly & Yuvraj can all bowl.They just have to improve. Agarkar is no mug with the bat either, he only has to improve.
Follow the three points and we can win the next world cup.
The media in the country is too obsessed with the batting performances of the Indians.
Let's take an instance in the 1999 series Sachin made 136 but sadly India lost the match but two matches later Srinath took 13 wickets and again India lost. Now whenever there is a reference to that series those media talk about Tendulkar's batting and nothing about Srinath. It's as if taking 13 wickets in a match is so easy.
Hence no body wants to become a pace bowler in this country. Another reason is those pitches that are too good for the batsman.
Once these two things change I think part of the problem would be solved.
Ganguly has called for a bowler from India !!! Does he remember that Australia were reeling at 89 for four wickets at one stage? The captain could not win the ODI from that stage and he has conveniently passed on the buck to the bowlers. The top 6 batsman could not score at a rate of 6 runs per over and they blame the bowlers for not scoring at 6 runs per over. The Indian captain is fooling himself by blaming the bowlers. Better try out new batsman who are fresh and rest the seniors in the league stage.
RE:Ganguly oh Ganguly
by Rahul on Jan 14, 2004 12:51 PM
Sourav Ganguly cannot be blamed.He has a right to critisize the bowlers because if they cannot build up pressure on the batsmen from a stage 88/4 then is definitely their fault.And when the opposition has 288 on the board , Pressure is bound to develop on the batsmen when he is playing against the best side.So it is not the batsmen's fault but the bowlers.
Ganguly should stand up and take the blame for Indian team's failures just as he takes credit for their successes. He is the only captain in modern cricket who has not learnt the art of running between wickets. He does not support his fast bowlers as he does not place a third man. Plenty of runs have gone in that area and he looks for bowlers ?? He does not guide the younger fast bowlers on the field nor does he insist on line and length. He calls Steve Bucknor very poor for a couple of mistakes. How many run outs has Ganguly caused and how many mistakes did he make in the Sydney test !!! He revels in sensational acts like waving his shirt on the balcony at Lords and calling for his favourite bowler overlooking the men picked by the selectors. There is no credit in winning when you have all the aces in your hand. A good player or captain marshalls the available resources in the best possible manner. Ask Nawab of Pataudi how many fast bowlers were available to him. By calling Amit Bhandari he has demoralised the Indian fast bowlers who were in Australia. What a great decision it is ? Wither Indian cricket and may favouritism thrive courtesy Ganguly.
The real fault is on our pitches.We make all our pitches ready for the spin and we don't get most people interested in fast bowling. If we give a chance to a quality bowler in a debet match and if he doesn't shine in that we immedietly throw him off and his carrier is over.We must try him once more looking his performance inside the country.
RE:Fault on our Pitches
by Biren on Jan 13, 2004 08:55 PM
Hey Great man, I dont think that you follow the matches very closely. You only beleive in newspaper and some others views. I request you to review your thoughts for Ganguly. You dont know what is passion and you dont know how it is associated with sports. I dont think that you have ever touched a bat or any sorts of sports tool. Just think quitely and please be crtical logically. Yours truely
All goes in thin air. I think the same team can do well in successive matches provided the top order batsmen play wisely, its different when it comes to ODIs.
RE:MUNAF PATEL MUST BE GIVEN CHANCE
by TVSR Mohan on Jan 13, 2004 08:33 PM
Best wishes to Munaf Patel but remember that speed by itself is not effective as we saw what happened to Brett Lee. Look at the pace of McGrath or Heath Streak. They are effective because they have accuracy, control and variety. We need to improve the quality of our bowling not just speed.
