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Showing posts with label Ajit Agarkar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ajit Agarkar. Show all posts
Agarkar to Tendulkar...
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| "God, please put your name on the Lord's Honour's Board instead of mine" |
By RajaB + NC
How bad is Agarkar?
Today, after a long time I saw Agarkar bowl. I missed most of his foolish first over, as I was on Bored Duty, dropping Aditya (@forwardshortleg) to the metro station. I returned to sharp abuse directed at him, both at home and on twitter.
Even though the Daredevils had the cushion of 231 runs, could Agarkar lose it for them? As it turned out, he continued to be an expensive yet wicket taking bowler.
Why Agrakar, after all these years, has such a capacity to bowl the worst deliveries on the planet is beyond me. Why he still takes wickets is simple, who wouldn’t want to smash every ball he bowls, but you can’t – and in his bait of high grade crap is the trap. If that rhymes, let me tell you, like Agarkar, there is no reason to it.
I must admit here, that I have always been a great believer in the misplaced potential of Ajit Agarkar. When he runs in to bowl, there’s a breeze about him, even on a still day. That is the setup, more so, for the gullible fool, who thinks he will deliver.
And how we get sucked in, I know, I always do. And I welcome it too. Today, it was inevitable that Ajit (oh, first name basis, wah!) would play, I was happy in a confident yet misplaced way.
I had no memory of his last bad spell, because that would amount to all his last bad spells.
But well…here I go again on my own, like a drifter I was born to walk alone – a snappy Whitesnake song, but never quite the Deep Purple classic; the song will come back to you at the oddest of times, because there are strange memories there, and you have indulged, oh my, how you’ve indulged. That is Ajit Agarkar. Not quite pop, not rock either, wtf is he – and so you will revisit, to scramble your head, and then you’ll see him bowl, high grade filth, and then the wickets, and you’ll give him this much – that’s his first game in a loooooong time.
Today, old friend Ajit, was the costliest Daredevil who bowled all 4 @11.75 rpo. And only Harris (for the Kings), who had a meltdown in his last over, went for more @12. But Ajit he just went about his merry ways, one wide here, another short one there, good old trauma centre bowling at its best.
But he took those two wickets, and ran in, like he was on a cycle, or even a bike, with born to be wild playing on mute.
If I was the Daredevils selector, I’d pick Ajit every game. There are some moments of undiluted madness that have a cricketing quirk in them, this fellah, he is all there, and not at all there. What he can or will do is beyond him. If mankind wants to go all nuclear and blow up, it should not happen without Agarkar being given a shot to make the fastest T20 50 by an Indian.
And to answer an earlier question, Agrakar is not bad, he’s rotten to the core. But we can’t be sure, can we? Let’s give him another shot.
Even though the Daredevils had the cushion of 231 runs, could Agarkar lose it for them? As it turned out, he continued to be an expensive yet wicket taking bowler.
Why Agrakar, after all these years, has such a capacity to bowl the worst deliveries on the planet is beyond me. Why he still takes wickets is simple, who wouldn’t want to smash every ball he bowls, but you can’t – and in his bait of high grade crap is the trap. If that rhymes, let me tell you, like Agarkar, there is no reason to it.
I must admit here, that I have always been a great believer in the misplaced potential of Ajit Agarkar. When he runs in to bowl, there’s a breeze about him, even on a still day. That is the setup, more so, for the gullible fool, who thinks he will deliver.
And how we get sucked in, I know, I always do. And I welcome it too. Today, it was inevitable that Ajit (oh, first name basis, wah!) would play, I was happy in a confident yet misplaced way.
I had no memory of his last bad spell, because that would amount to all his last bad spells.
But well…here I go again on my own, like a drifter I was born to walk alone – a snappy Whitesnake song, but never quite the Deep Purple classic; the song will come back to you at the oddest of times, because there are strange memories there, and you have indulged, oh my, how you’ve indulged. That is Ajit Agarkar. Not quite pop, not rock either, wtf is he – and so you will revisit, to scramble your head, and then you’ll see him bowl, high grade filth, and then the wickets, and you’ll give him this much – that’s his first game in a loooooong time.
Today, old friend Ajit, was the costliest Daredevil who bowled all 4 @11.75 rpo. And only Harris (for the Kings), who had a meltdown in his last over, went for more @12. But Ajit he just went about his merry ways, one wide here, another short one there, good old trauma centre bowling at its best.
But he took those two wickets, and ran in, like he was on a cycle, or even a bike, with born to be wild playing on mute.
If I was the Daredevils selector, I’d pick Ajit every game. There are some moments of undiluted madness that have a cricketing quirk in them, this fellah, he is all there, and not at all there. What he can or will do is beyond him. If mankind wants to go all nuclear and blow up, it should not happen without Agarkar being given a shot to make the fastest T20 50 by an Indian.
And to answer an earlier question, Agrakar is not bad, he’s rotten to the core. But we can’t be sure, can we? Let’s give him another shot.
Bring back the bad word.
Agarkar. I’ve always had a good laugh at his expense, who hasn’t?
Here’s a sampler from BoredCricket on twitter
When it wasn’t looking good:
Agarkar's spot on the India bench is on the line here
Down the leg, more like the Agrakar we love and loathe
And when it was looking good:
Agarkar will now take the selectors' phone call
Generally being nasty:
Batsmen duck when Agarkar bowls. That's sledging.
At one point a batsman ducked four times to Agarkar. That's sledging
But if only you saw the catch he took to win Mumbai the Ranji – there are those who will call it straight forward, even a regulation catch – but beware, these are the toughest ones. Already a catch had gone down in the previous over, straight forward too; and this was pressure, and you know how he gets with pressure – leg side half volleys. But not this ball. It was right on the money, the Rs 2 crore purse – caught and bowled Agarkar. That’s what the scorecards will say, and that’s what it was meant to be – five for Agarkar, well bowled.
Another thing, you know why we love to pull his leg – because that’s his favoured side. Don’t say lame, say leg.
Five point something bowler.
There are many things you can blame Bhajji for, but Ajit Agarkar’s return to the limited over’s team, surely not. This Ranji, this Agarkar fellah has been scoring runs like, to put it crudely, Bhajji. With Bhajji, the lower order all-rounder, the bowler who bosses around with his bat, has made headlines, extended deadlines, that kinda thing.
In short, India’s batty about the bowler who can bat; to hell with what he bowls. Now Agrakar has scored big this Ranji. Fast fifties like he’s working at McDonald’s. And he bowls too, didn’t he always – seeing that Ishant’s 8 runs per over are more than acceptable for ODIs, how bad can Agarkar’s five point something be – ok, you’re thinking, if he goes for five point something, Chetan Bhagat will go nuts again – claim credits for the runs scored of Agarkar’s bowling.
Other than that I can’t think of any reason to keep Agarkar away – Ishant comes and goes as the mobile that calls him pleases, why not Agarkar? Like I said, he can bat. And by now, surely he has nothing to lose. Also, if Sami can comeback, why not the boy who “might go for a few but he is a wicket taking bowler. It will make Shastri chatty. And we’ll all have someone new old to blame.
Batty about batting.
Bhajji is known to be a trendsetter; and while the tri colour was waved before he became the team’s flag bearer, it is his role as a lower order batsman that is turning Indian cricket upside down.
It is a known fact the bowlers refuse to bowl in the nets, they all want a hit. And when some kids aren’t there to turn their arm over, the batsmen have to bowl to the bowlers; that doesn’t make sense but that’s how it is.
If you’re surprised how part-timers like Raina, Sehwag, Yuvraj are stepping up to fulfill the fifth bowler’s role, don’t be – they get plenty of practise in the nets.
This change is visible beyond team India, in the Ranji sides as well – Agarkar bats at 6, and scores runs like he’s making them of his own bowling. Then there’s forever young Piyush Chawla, he’s up at seven, sometimes six, other times eight.
Looks like a perfect candidate for MSD’s side, where batting positions are as provocative as the Kamasutra. Today you’re on top, tomorrow way down, and sometimes you have to make do, sitting sideways, on the bench.
That’s the case with Praveen Kumar; and even though he opened in some games, chipped in with a few handy knocks for India lower down, he just doesn’t have the hair ‘n’ flair of an Ishant. But PK, being the trier he is, is working on it as we speak.
So too Irfan Pathan, who’s played some killer knocks in the Ranji for Baroda; in fact such has been his focus on batting that he often bowls with his bat.
It’s a worrying sign alright, Chawla, Irfan, Praveen, Agarkar, all batty about batting. Who the hell, will bowl? As always, Bhajji will have some answers, once he gets those gloves off.
Agarkar inspires Munaf
The other day, the bowler with AA rating struck thrice. What does Munaf do – he strikes thrice too. If AA took 3 for 45, Munna topped that, 3 for 47. Also, he’s bowled 19 overs compared to AA’s 17.3, clearly he’s in demand. Not to forget, the Mumbai innings is far from over, he’ll be back tomorrow.
But it was yesterday that Munna went mad with the bat – 36 of 34 balls, take that, 2 6s, 3 4s. Clearly Munna could not inspire AA who picked 5 of 23. Another few innings like this, and there will be talk of Munna the all-rounder. See, this qualifies as talk too.
One only hopes this doesn’t distract him from his main job as a fielder.
Danger: Agarkar on comeback trail
Think hard, what do Abhinav Mukund and Jatman Sehwag have in common, apart from triple centuries – both have been knocked over by Agarkar in the Irani Trophy.
While the Champions Trophy exposed RP and Ishant, just imagine what the Irani could do – expose us to Agarkar again. Can you take it, at this young impressionable age? Of course you can't.
Looks like there will be no rest for India till the Rest of India put Agarkar to the sword – luckily both Munaf and Sreesanth are yet to bat. Badrinath is still there, but we all know, he’s going nowhere. With Agarkar however, it’s an altogether story.
Just when you think the door is closed on him, he comes in through the bathroom window. Almost as annoying as Macca.
B the moment of the match
KKR playing DC
Just as when Sharukh Khan was thinking of calling his travel agent to book his ticket to South Africa, Mashrafe Mortaza decided to save some cost for the team.
A day when the adage "Every dog has its day" was coming close to reality for the KKR pack, when one saw Ajit Agarkar defy his usual self and bowl a brilliant 19th, McCullum smile on field, Kartik bowling a good spell of 4 tight overs. When one started feeling that KKR are ducking the trend to win one, Mashrafe thought otherwise.
I would ask the KKR team to may be try their luck with book cricket first. And when they do that, I would recommend that they borrow a book from Scorpicity. That seems to be the only way KKR can win one.
Q Another Moment of IPL Match #41
Ajit Agarkar bowling the 19th over of the match.
After the 1st yorker there were 5 full tosses to follow!
He was lucky only 2 of them went for a 6.
The unbelievable world of Ajit Agarkar!
Agarkar has now played more games on the trot than the Bangla bloke from across the border has not (approx.) It was an incredible spell of upper middle class bowling v Delhi. His aspiration levels were high, which they usually are when there’s nothing to play for. Agarkar was clearly living in that 100 at Lord’s moment, and why not, there was a match at Lord’s the next day. Agarkar’s spirit usually soars when a game is to be played at Lord’s – it has been proven, even though Agarkar himself is far from a proven fast bowler.
This changes when a test series is on down under, that mellows his mind, and he prefers to duck, for all it’s worth.
But yesterday against Delhi, he was thinking about Adelaide too, a six for, for him, again. But that wicketkeeper captain didn’t back him; he was in front of the wicket, and quite literally got ahead of himself. He dropped a sitter, standing.
Agarkar wept like a woman. But noone saw. How well he hid his face in those hands of his. You have to hand it to him.
But why isn’t he playing for Mumbai Indians? And how dare he snare Sachin’s wicket?
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