Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Honeymoon is over

It has been more than a year since Rahul Dravid was elevated as Team India's new bride. The honeymoon seems to be over for the captain ever since the WI ODI series began. Atleast the predecessor was screwed only by the coach. Imagine getting screwed by the mighty West Indians, Aussies and your own teammates simultaneously. It's one thing being a wife, it is a whole new game to be a whore.

Don't get me wrong, Rahul's individual performance seems to have no effect with the additional responsibility. Just that the team could use a better captain. Anyone who can really think, please.

Dilip Vengsarkar is partly right in bringing back Anil Kumble and partly parochial in introducing Wasim Jaffer to the limited edition of the game, this late in his career. He would have done well to name a new captain even if he had shown parochialism and turned to Tendulkar. Obviously this hype is not working and there is hardly enough time before the big event.

7 comments:

Mahadevan said...

With the world cup less than six months away, It is too late to think of another captain.

Sachin now has to play the anchor role, being the senior most player and therefore should come down to No.4. Wazim Jaffar is good against genuine pace, has sound defence, patience and can be aggressive if needs be. He can open with Sehwag. If Patthan can't take wickets, he has no place in the team.

In one day, you have just 50 overs to bat and therefore your better batsmen should get enough balls to play. Similarly, you have just 50 overs to get your opponent out. Our spinners should either bowl like Prasanna, giving the ball plenty of air and take wickets or bowl like Bapu Nadkarni - rob your opponents of runs thorugh maidens. Pawar, looks and bowls like Prasanna.

With all his indiscipline and injuries, I would prefer Nehra to VRV Singh, for, Nehra is the only Indian pacer, who has a genuine nip, can swing the ball in either way while generating good pace.

APAM NAPAT said...

maha,
Why is it too late to think of another captain especially when the current one is not working for the team? Captains don't need a bonding, coach needs it. The next captain will be an insider, so he needs no introduction to the rest of the players.

Wasim Jaffer has played only around 45 one days (domestic) in his decade long career. What gives you the impression that he can be aggressive. He has a solid defense, I agree. But come on teams are posting 400's consistently. Jaffer will only eat up the Power Play overs.

In the bowling department, I tend to agree with you. But Nehra gets injured frequently especially during crucial matches. Zaheer and Sreesanth combo will be good, is my guess.

Romesh Pawar is slow but does not flight the ball all tha t much. To compare him to a Prasanna is way out of the line. Bapu Nadkarni never played ODIs.

Mahadevan said...

Pawar can never be a Prasanna. Among the available off spinners we have today, Pawar, like Prasanna, gives the ball more air. Harbachan, like Venkat, pushes through the ball. This will not get you wicket.

I suggested Bapu Nadkarni type of bowling. He used to get eight maidens out of ten overs, in test matches, conceding just two runs in the remaining overs.

Out of the three openers, Jaffar, Gambhir and Robin Utthappa, Jaffar is a little more solid than the other two and can negotiate new ball from genuine pace bowlers like Bret Lee, Malinga etc. with good foot work and sighting the ball early. Gambhir and Robin are much better fielders.

APAM NAPAT said...

Maha,
I like Murali Karthik better than Pawar but I agree to your point that options are less. But Kumble's experience will only add strength to the demoralized bowling dept.

Sachin will continue to open because he likes it there. Now I doubt if Jaffer will even get a break to make his debut. Unless Sehwag/Sachin gets injured. Even then, Dravid in all likelyhood has shown intent to step up and promote himself to keep his middle order intact. So I am skeptical about the whole opener issue that you have raised. Please read my Spec Box that is for cricket exclusively. I have had no readers at all there. You may have a comment or two there. Your views are interesting. Are you from Bombay sir. Jaffer and Pawar kku ivalo support. More than Vengsarkar :-)

I said...

Ian Chappell once said 'Dravid concentrated more on playing the the ball, rather on the ball'. Dravid is highly over-rated.

Ajay said...

y not consider Sehwag as captain..
//It's one thing being a wife, it is a whole new game to be a whore//
reminds me of a ribald joke...

APAM NAPAT said...

Sehwag's position is now a little shaky Ajay. A few bad knocks will decide his place in the team.