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bored cricket crazy indians
Is Mishra fast going the Bhajji way?
He’s gone beyond the customary designer stubble and grown a beard. He also seems angrier, good for him, there’s that leader of the pack vibe too, he’s just not taking wickets. It’s been two games, he has one wicket against Zimbabwe. And for that wicket, nobody knows what he bowled, not the batsman, not the commentators, not Mishra? Either way, he didn’t bowl it again. It would’ve been wrong on many counts.
What’s also wrong are Mishra’s lines, going the Bhajji way, down middle and leg – his analysis are starting to resemble Bhajji’s too – none for forty of ten; the most economical bowler, no wickets. And where is that sharp spinning leg-break – in a safe house for the test matches? Could we have the ripping googly back please? You are Amit Mishra – and not some imposter?
There’s something wrong and I don’t know what it is – the wrist? The arm? The mind? Playing second fiddle to Bhajji for too long can be devastating. Not playing at all, can be worse. And when you do, in the IPL, your team asks you to bowl leg stump lines to Gayle and Ganguly.
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Gaurav Sethi
Amit Mishra fast catching up with Harbhajan Singh
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bored cricket crazy indians
Bhajji today, 4-0-25-1, got Hayden’s wicket, acted like he’d got Hayden’s wicket. Mishra 4-0-23-2, got Kallis’ wicket, didn’t act, then got Uthappa’s wicket, still didn’t act – he’s such a genuine guy. Does it matter who makes the flight to the Caribbean, they’re both playing the IPL, and we all know who’s better – but do they?
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Gaurav Sethi
Bhajji retired hurt 8 (6), did not bowl, not to Yusuf Pathan, not to anybody. Amit Mishra 4-0-23-1, did not bat, though he held on to his helmet like a baby. And no, the helmet did not piss on him like a baby. Mishra has also started to appear in some DD ads, is that why he had his hair blowdried yesterday? No Mumbai Indians ad is complete without Bhajji. Clearly, Mishra still has a lot to learn from India’s leading spinner. More on Piyush Chalwa later.
(Unrelated but had to share, Dheeraj's FB status - Spare a thought for Yusuf Pathan. My comment: He doesn't think, why should we)
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bored cricket crazy indians
"On the basis of Bhajji’s charge against the Aussies, you’d think he has some stratospheric first class batting average. It’s a charming 19.11. Point to be noted milord. 11 fifties too. That’s how he always makes the 11.
Poor Chotu’s first class average is merely 19.50 – only .39 more than Bhajji’s.
Also, he has played 86 to Bhajji bhai’s 141 games. And to Bhajji’s 11, he only has 9 fifties.
But a moment of batting beauty, both Bhajji and Chotu have a first class high of 84."
Mishra’s first test fifty, any coincidence it came without Bhajji’s blessings? Mishra batting at No.3, any coincidence it came under Sehwag's captaincy? Mishra’s 98 run partnership, any coincidence it was batting with Gambhir?
You could argue that unlike Bhajji who scores against the Aussies, this was only against an ordinary Bangladesh side. Look at it this way, against the Aussies, Mishra prefers to play as a bowler; a five for on debut, 14 wickets in 3 tests @ an average of 24.
As for Bhajji’s pain in the neck, it’s better than being a pain in the Amit.
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Gaurav Sethi
It’s taken some time, like a few dog years to unleash poor Amit Mishra on to cricket again. Trouble is, he was arguably the best drinks’ boy going – his Virgin Mary, bloody good.
Amit Mishra warmed the benches through the Aussie one-day series. Before that he replaced an ineffective Bhajji in the Champions Trophy, and did more than a fair job. I cannot tire of saying this, because soon his replacement Ojha too will be relegated to the spinners’ graveyard. Murali Kartik’s India career tombstone is particularly impressive. Just that there is no date of demise; appears his career was buried even before it began.
So too with Amit Mishra. And anyone else who claims to spin the ball or bowl slow. This is one of the reasons Ganguly refused to bowl much in spite of Toronto. Or why both Sehwag and Sachin are reluctant to turn their arm around, or for that matter, over the wicket. Why, even MS Dhoni, who jags them back like a boomerang, raised his hands, and kept to himself.
Back to now: Amit Mishra finally bowled outside of the nets, grabbed 3 for 16 of 6, and knocked Kerala for 93.
Mishra, look at it this way, you may not be playing for India, but you are for Haryana. And don’t we all know, that Bhajji isn’t even good enough for that.
Aside: During the Mumbai test, Jimmy Amarnath quizzed Ravi Shastri on Bhajji’s bowling – Shastri did not reply. Let us not allow Bhajji to get away this time. A slap on a cricketer’s face was bad enough. A slap on cricket, NO WAY. Ask more of Indian cricket. More than No. 1.
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Gaurav Sethi
It helps if you have already emerged as a player and continue playing in these emerging players' tournament. You tend to stand out, score runs, take wickets. Amit Mishra did damn well in that Emerging Players tournament down under. He picked an ODI spot, 12th man duties and all. Then he picked an ICC Emerging Players' nomination. But then the ICC figured he’s already emerged so he didn’t make the short-list.
Bhajji was too busy taking five wickets (like Swann) in Sri Lanka, where could Mishra get a break? But he was on tour – so much to learn, one of these days, he may get physical with another player.
Today, he played a game in the Champions Trophy. It was the closest he’ll get. It was a warm-up game. Bhajji didn’t bowl, Bhajji didn’t bat. Mishra sure did, in a lost cause obviously. Had Bhajji played, a five-for was definitely on.
Mishra’s 10-0-29-1 in New Zealand’s 301, not as flashy as the quicks who went at 7, 8 and 9 an over, but he tried. He even scored a modest 26.
Obviously not good enough to play instead of Bhajji. For that he’d need to do a Kumble. Take 10 wickets, captain the side, break jaw etc etc etc.
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