Selectors grope around in dark scenario
Admittedly, the Indian bowling in the absence of Anil Kumble, is a cause for some concern
Partab Ramchand
14-Feb-2001
Admittedly, the Indian bowling in the absence of Anil Kumble, is a
cause for some concern. But do the selectors have to really press the
panic button? This policy will only play into the hands of the
Australians who are no novices when it comes to exploiting the
slightest weakness in an opponent.
With 276 wickets in 61 Tests and the tag of being the country's No 1
strike bowler in the last decade, the 30-year-old Karnataka leg
spinner has been way ahead of his contemporaries. Never in the history
of Indian cricket has the disparity between one bowler and his
colleagues been so wide. The next best, Venkatapathi Raju, has 92
wickets from 27 Tests. With the main bowler out of action with an
injured shoulder, it is but natural for the selectors to scout around
in a bid to close the gap. So for the list of 25 probables, the
selectors named seven spin bowlers. On the face of it, there was
enough variety. Four left arm spinners - Raju, Rahul Sanghvi, Murali
Kartik and Sunil Joshi, two off spinners - Harbhajan Singh and
Sharandeep Singh - and one leg spinner in WD Balaji Rao were named. On
the face of it, the list looked good enough from which a suitable
replacement could be found. On closer scrutiny however, it can be
observed that while there is some talent in that bunch, experience is
sadly lacking.
Now however comes the news that the selectors have added two more leg
spinners - Narendra Hirwani and Sairaj Bahutule - for the second phase
of the camp to be held at Chennai from February 16. Of course they
will have time only till February 19 since the team for the first Test
against Australia is to be announced on that day. But the selectors
will also announce the Board President's XI to play the tourists in a
three day game at New Delhi in between the first and second Tests. One
supposes some of the spin bowlers not picked in the team for the first
Test will play in the Delhi game.
Seven spinners itself is a bowler too many. What can one say when the
figure swells to nine? Obviously the selectors are worried about what
they have seen at the camp so far. The spin bowlers, with the
exception of Raju and to a certain extent Joshi, are all young and
inexperienced. They earned a place in the probables list, first
because they performed well in the Ranji and Duleep Trophy tournaments
and secondly, because the selectors wanted to spread the net wide to
unearth a suitable replacement for Kumble. Evidently, the lack of
variety and penetration among the bowlers has caused the selectors to
add to the list Hirwani and Bahutule, both of whom have already played
for the country.
Hirwani is currently in his 33rd year. He made a sensational debut
against West Indies at Madras in January 1988, when with a haul of 16
for 136, he set a world record. Since then he has been in and out of
the Indian squad and last played for the country against South Africa
at Calcutta in 1996. A bag of 66 wickets from 17 Tests at an average
of 30 is a little disappointing after that remarkable debut
performance. But he has forced the selectors to take notice thanks to
his consistent showing around the domestic circuit. Only last season,
he joined the select band of bowlers who had taken over 300 wickets in
the Ranji Trophy.
Bahutule, who turned 28 last month, has played in seven ODIs, the last
of them three years ago. His overall figures of two wickets from 46
overs at an average of 129.50 are most unimpressive for a specialist
spin bowler - though he himself rather fancies himself as an all
rounder. In his case too he has bowled himself back into the reckoning
because of performances in the domestic circuit, including 16 wickets
for West Zone in the Duleep Trophy tournament. This haul included a
hat-trick.
From what one has gathered after several visits to the camp and
talking to the chairman of the selection committee Chandu Borde and
ICC umpire S Venkatraghavan, the two, who know a bit about spin
bowling, were rather unimpressed by the spinners on view.
Borde, who took 52 Test wickets with his leg spinners till a shoulder
injury forced him to concentrate on his batting, is quoted as saying
that "None of the spinners are giving air to the ball and are bowling
very flat." Venkataraghavan, a member of the famed spin quartet who
took 156 wickets in 57 Tests, is said to be disillusioned by what he
saw for a couple of days at the camp. "I am not happy with the way
our spinners are bowling," Venkataraghavan is quoted to have said.
After working with both Sarandeep and Harbhajan, Venkat reportedly
commented that "They are not willing to maintain a rhythm and bowl
each ball differently. Our spinners were unable to turn the ball as
much as Sachin Tendulkar does at the nets."
So at the moment, it does look like whether there are seven spin
bowling probables or nine, whether they play two or three spinners in
the playing eleven, the Indians will face problems in bowling the
mighty Australians out twice in the Test series. Unless, Srinath and
company spring a surprise!