'Bowling' tensions for Team India............!

The second cricket test match between India and Australia in the on-going Border-Gavaskar Trophy gets underway in Hyderabad from tomorrow (02 March 2013).

Having won the first game, India would look to go up 2-0 while proceeding to Mohali for the third encounter.This would ensure that India would definitely not lose the series, even if they do not win it.

In the previous blog the issue of the 'opening combination' was discussed in detail. Here the issue of the bowlers is being discussed.

In the Chennai test, a total of 133 overs were bowled by Team India in the first innings, out of which the spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja, together bowled 103 overs and only 30 overs were bowled by the pace duo of Ishant Sharma and the debutante Bhuvaneshwar Kumar.

In Australia's second innings, Team India bowled 93 overs, out of which ONLY 3 overs were bowled by Ishant Sharma while Bhuvaneshwar Kumar was not given the ball at all.

All the twenty wickets were taken by the spinners with Ashwin finishing the match with a tally of 12 for 198, Harbhajan Singh finishing with 3 for 142 and Ravindra Jadeja had a figure of 5 for 143 respectively.

It is clear that the pacers had no role to play in the Chennai test match and even in the limited number of overs they bowled, both were highly disappointing being inaccurate in line and length.

Quite clearly the nature of the pitch at Hyderabad is unknown and assuming it would be one that would suit the home-team, then the pacers again may not have much of a 'say'.

Under the circumstances. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, would  be wondering whether he should go in with two pacers or only one in the Playing XI.

Presumably he might not want to go in with one pacer. This strategy of 'three spinners and one pacer' was tried against England in the test match played in Eden Gardens, Kolkata and it clearly backfired with Team India losing the match and the series thereafter. So this would be definitely be at the back of the skipper's mind. Moreover the bowlers, be it pacers or spinners, would always want to bowl 'in tandem' and hence the 'single pacer' theory may not find favor.

Dhoni has the benefit of having Ashok Dinda in the squad and might want to have a 'look at him' in Hyderabad. 

Ishant Sharma, inspite of his immense experience, could not deliver in Chennai and the experience did not add any value to the team. Neither was he useful with the bat.

As compared to this, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, who did not find success with the ball, capitalised on the opportunity that came his way and had a successful outing with bat giving company to the skipper and created a record for the 9th wicket partnership of 140 runs.

These points might occupy Dhoni's mind and he would have to make a decision on the pacers' choice. In any case, 'one pacer' theory will not work.

Now coming to the spinning options, there are three regular spinners in the squad.....Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha and a part-timer in Ravindra Jadeja.

Dhoni opted for Jadea ahead of Ojha in Chennai with the object of having an all-rounder batting at No 7.

While Jadeja dd full justice with the ball, his batting abilities did not leave much to write home about.

The idea of going in with a 7+4 combination needs a re-look. With Dhoni batting at No 6 and in the manner that he had batted in Chennai, a 7th batsman would just be a luxury. If the top six batsmen are unable to put up a decent total, there is not much that a seventh batsman would do. Moreover Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh, with centuries under their belt in test matches, can always fill in the slot of an all-rounder.

Dhoni should now clearly think in terms of bringing in Ojha in the Playing XI at the expense of Ravindra Jadeja.

The choice has to be made between Ashwin and Harbhajan since Dhoni might want to stick to the 7+4 combo. In that case Ashwin would definitely get the nod keeping in view his Chennai performance.

Ojha's case gets another boost considering the fact that Dhoni wanted Murali Viay to play in Chennai, being his home-ground. Hence this 'home-ground' theory needs to be extended and Ojha should find a place in the Playing XI.

So Dhoni has a lot to 'work on'........in terms of the opening combination, in terms of pacers / spinners combination and in terms of the spinning combination also.

K Subramanian

01 March 2013