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Showing posts with label spin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spin. Show all posts
Messed up? Dial Kedar Jadhav @Housekeeping.
Kedar
Jadhav finishes a game. Remains unbeaten. After that, a Test series or some
T20s are played and everyone forgets about him, what he does, what he can do.
In a few
weeks, Kedar Jadhav will be 34. He made his ODI debut in 2014. He wasn’t a part
of the 2015 World Cup. In all likelihood, he will play in this year’s edition.
Doubtful though, he will he be part of India’s 2023 World Cup plans.
Kedar
Jadhav is a transitory cricketer. It’s almost as if his sole purpose is this
World Cup. He’s there to fill India’s many gaps. Whether he is the fifth or
sixth bowler is unclear. He’s often an afterthought bowler. The kind of afterthought,
that in hindsight seems should have been a much earlier thought.
When all
else fails, there’s Jadhav. Or Kedar. Or whatever it is they call him. But he’s
there. Even the batsmen that face him are not sure he’s there. Or for that
matter, aware that he’s bowling. It seems like a swoopy dream that creeps up
and goes on, over after over. And if for some reason, the batsmen feel he is
uncalled for and should be dispatched – or they should be dispatched from the
chains of the Kedar Jadhav dreamscape, they are dismissed.
Batsmen
have the same zapped expression as Marcus Stoinis did when he was dismissed to
Jadhav off a long-hop. Though in Jadhav’s case, it ideally should be called a
short-hop. To try and pull Jadhav to the high heavens but fail to go beyond
short midwicket is one of the mysteries of life.
But then isn’t
Jadhav just that? An unknown. Just when the world thought they were coming to
grips with the anomalies of Jasprit Bumrah’s action, they were faced with Kedar
Jadhav’s inaction.
If he were
any more languid, the pitch would be a sleeper car. And so, Stoinis perished. As 25 before him.
Perplexed. “What did I just do? What did he just do to make me do what I just
did to me?” It’s quite inexplicable. For most of his spell, he’s mildly
thudding it wide outside off, into a waiting Dhoni’s gloves or pads or shoes or
whatever those Netherland deliveries deem to go to.
That
Stoinis fell in Jadhav’s fourth over to give him his first wicket was a
surprise. Jadhav is a partnership breaker. By now, it appears the batsman has
fallen even before he’s bowled his first delivery.
First time
Jadhav bowled in an ODI was under Dhoni’s captaincy - he had consecutive
wickets in his second over. Yes, he was on a hat-trick. Whether it was an
optical illusion that in the high hills of Dharamsala, someone could sling so
low, accounted for Neesham’s dismissal who can say.
Neesham had
been caught and bowled by Jadhav. In an instant, from 4780 feet, he had dropped
to sea level. Till this day, Neesham hasn’t quite overcome the fact that he
fell to Jadhav. In his drafts lies a tweet of the horror. Damned if you tweet,
damned if you delete.
In the
second match of that series, New Zealand was 115/1 off 20 overs. Who do you
call? Partnership busters Jadhav & Co at your service. Third ball off his
first over, Messrs TWM Latham were evicted.
Third
match: 13th over, Jadhav has his prize, Williamson. In his second
over. Later in the 30th over, Jadhav returns for his third over. And
has his second prize, Anderson. And Latham again, in his fourth over. He then
hands over to Bumrah and the regulars.
For Jadhav
is irregular if anything. To describe his bowling is akin to describing a joke.
Just, more often than not, the joke is on the batsman. Who are left mortified,
did that just happen, much like after Stoinis claimed a bump catch. Uncanny,
but Jadhav too claimed a bump catch. Nobody remembers his reaction. Doubt there
was one.
Jadhav’s
moment in the bowling sun though was when he ran through Pakistan’s middle
order, 3/23 off 9 overs, thank you. Not surprising, he had the Pak skipper,
Sarfraz Ahmed, in only his second over.
…..
Jadhav has not
been dismissed in five of his last seven innings – 81*, 22*, 61*, 23* and 16*. On three
occasions, Dhoni was unbeaten at the other end - 59*, 48* and 87*. Jadhav-Dhoni
partnerships were 141*, 53* and 121*.
It doesn’t
take a Trevor Chappell to tell you that Dhoni has unearthed something special
in Jadhav. That’s something Jadhav will tell you all the time. Whether it is
Dhoni keeping to Jadhav’s bowling or Dhoni-Jadhav talking their socks off
through those long, meandering partnerships - by Jadhav’s own admission, Dhoni
restrains him initially. No wonder the two love their long drives together,
where Dhoni helms the wheel.
***
But what is
it about Jadhav that gives the impression that he is not just a part-time
bowler but a part-time batsman too? Sunil Gavaskar when exalting the likes of
Virat and Rohit, went as far as to nail comparative perceptions that Jadhav was
an ugly batsman.
Such is the
visual impact of certain batsmen that their relatively low-key peers go largely
unnoticed. It’s not too different for someone like Ambati Rayudu or Cheteshwar
Pujara.
So if
asked, what is your favourite Jadhav shot, you may be at a loss for an answer. In
his comparative, Gavaskar praised batsmen such as Jadhav. That they hang in
there and get the job done. That they are almost from the Dhoni school of
thought – that there is no harm to bat ugly and win ugly as long as you win.
When you’re
95/3, with both Virat and Rohit out, it’s over to Rayudu, Jadhav and Dhoni. It
may not be the most soul stirring displays of batsmanship, but scrap they will.
Nothing of
Jadhav’s ODI batting numbers indicate a scrap however; a strike rate in excess
of 100, a batting average of 47, and you’re tempted to say, hello flam!
If Frodo Baggins were to ever wield a bat, he
may not be too dissimilar to Kedar Jadhav. It may not quite be the Return of
King Kohli, but he will traverse the dark lands of the middle overs and fight
with trolls at the death.
Six of
Jadhav’s first seven ODIs were against Zimbabwe in Harare. His first ton came
against them. Hold it against him if you want. His second ton was against
England. In his hometown, Pune. Hold it against him if you want. Both these
were batting at 6, a position he’s come in at in 20 of his 36 innings. Add to
that 13 times at No. 5 and 7, and you grasp what kind of crisis man Jadhav is.
Jadhav’s
slogan could very well be – everywhere I go, it’s a disaster.
If
everything was just fine, there would be no need for Jadhav. Some days, the top
three see it through. But more often than not, they won’t. And the middle order
will be called to clean up.
Kedar
Jadhav is housekeeping. Behind the scenes. Low on glam. But there are days,
when even the spotlight falls on him. Just as it did on a maid in Manhattan. That
was JLo.
What will
Kedar Jadhav become or not, who knows – till then, stay with those timely
inside out cover drives and pulls in front of square. Sometimes, a cricketer is
just about his cricket. And there’s no nickname needed.
First published here
Buttons Virat Kohli needs to press
After winning the Test series 4-0 and the ODI series 2-1, India finds itself 0-1 down in the three-match T20 series. What could be worse? Going 0-2 down and playing for mere pride? It could come to that, and going by the first T20 match at Kanpur, which turned out to be a walk in the Green Park for England, the visitors appear to be far more suited to the format.
While the hosts have a far better hang of the nuances of the one-day format, when it shrinks to 20-over cricket, they seem to have left their soul in their twin World Cup wins.
While India has almost completed the shift from Test cricket to ODIs, the reluctance to shrug off their ODI baggage in T20s is still a work in progress.
Rishabh Pant had earlier hammered a 36-ball 59 in the second warm-up game between India A and England. AP
Recognising neither Ajinka Rahane nor Shikhar Dhawan cut it, is a start. But can they stick with the decision? No reason not to, won’t be long before T20 mainstay, Rohit Sharma is back. Between Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma, you have three picks for the opening slots right there.
Next button to consider pressing, a break from England for Kohli. The Test series started on 9 November 2016. We’re now at the end of January. Even though there were three weeks off for Christmas, it’s been one long mission for Kohli. While England shifted from Alastair Cook to Eoin Morgan, and even both Ashwin and Jadeja have had a break from England, Kohli sahab is left to continue hosting them.
And he’s been a good host at that; gracious in defeat, and admitting to being 30-35 runs short. But how much can one man do? If you’re Kohli, a fair bit. It now appears the captain is already in ‘express myself’ mode. Warming up to the format, he’s set to abandon some of the non-stop-intensity of his cricket — and play much, much more in the air, especially as he’s opening the batting.
But that’s the catch — can Kohli be both attacker and sustainer through the 20 overs? Unlikely. Kohli aside, is there anyone to sustain the big hitting against these sharp lengths that England has warmed up to since the Eden Gardens’ ODI?
It’s a good time to see, who, if anyone will step up in Kohli’s absence through the 20 overs. After all, when he doesn’t score big, the team can look pedestrian to say the least. A one-man team really.
Kohli will not take a break from the team but it’ll be good if he continues to play the format rather than think it’s his sole job to bat out 20 overs. Kohli has to look at striking at 150 on top of the order, and he has enough discretion to be picky about his shots.
Next button — address Rahul and his inability to go beyond 8, 5, 11 and 8 in his last four innings against England. The most he’s been at the crease has been three overs. Kohli aside, he’s one of the bigger hitters on top. With the current team, one of the openers has to look to bat through — and it’s time for Rahul to step up and set his captain free.
Next, press the Amit Mishra button. Mishra was picked for two Tests against England, didn’t figure in the ODIs, and didn’t play in the Kanpur T20. This is a case of mixing up formats; Mishra is now a far more resourceful limited-overs’ bowler, a veteran of sorts, than he is a Test bowler, the format in which he tends to struggle in Ashwin and Jadeja’s shadows. Journeymen T20 spinners are priceless, a leg-spinner even more so.
Next, press the jugular button — India’s quicks or spinning part-timers are unlikely to win them matches. But spin can. Go in with three spinners and open the bowling with one.
The only way to counter England’s rocking openers is to counter them in equal measure — starting with spin will toss Jason Roy and Sam Billings a dare, one they will feel compelled to take. One which is out of their comfort zone. If it means picking one seamer less, so be it.
Inroads with spin early on could bring part-time spinners Raina and Yuvraj into play later.
As in 2007, so too in 2017, T20 is a young man’s game. Do everyone a favour and press the Rishabh Pant button. Not for just the last match, but the last two matches.
It’s high time to add to the Mad Max hitting of Hardik Pandya. To paraphrase Tennyson, “Tis better to have hit and lost than never to have hit at all”.
Why do you think it’s the only format the West Indies are champions in?
First published here
Jatman and the spinnerman.
When did Jatman last face a spinner? This series he hasn’t, and facing Bhajji in the nets doesn’t count.
What about Amit Mishra – to downsize the little boy further, he doesn’t get a net now. While Jadeja on song doesn’t bowl all ten in the middle, in the nets they want him to bat instead.
But that has little to do with Jatman. Hauritz has still not faced him. Deal is Jatman has curfew – Sehwag ki maa told him to return from the crease within the first power play.
But just imagine, if and when Jatman faces Hauritz, even if it’s just for one ball.
Even if Jatman is at the non-strikers end: Hauritz will still be facing him.
Pause, think about Hauritz droopy sad eyebrows.
Even before he can bowl, his grip on the ball will slip, the seam will go awry, sad eyebrows even sadder – don’t do me like that.
Ponting will give Hauritz two mid-offs – the taller guy a few feet behind.
Of course Jatman will hit Hauritz there, nowhere else to go.
But the result don’t matter, what does is that Jatman and spinnerman will meet.
Today. There’s nothing else to this series, is there?
And say, if they get beyond their shy acquaintance – if it lasts six balls, a full over, a moment in time.
How will Jatman flog the spinnerman, like he would a sinnerman.
The tight angles behind will come into play, inside out, outside in, no way out, cut a mutt, get outta the rut, the dead series could come alive.
If only Ponting removes mid off.
Spin.
Want to fix New Zealand? Import David Hussey as a part time spin option. The Kiwis never came to grips with Hussey or for that matter any Aussie who bowled slow. If Ojha is in town, and not sightseeing, India could use four overs from him in the next T20.
Unlike India’s trump spin card, he may even think of flight, attack, offstump lines. It’s tough at times telling if Pathan’s slower one was faster or Bhajji’s faster one was slower.
And while we're at it, why does Amit Mishra not play limited overs' cricket? Too much of a threat to Bhajji, oye?!
for the Kiwi mouthpieces: It's Ishant Sharma and not Ishant Patel. Ishant was Patel-ed for every ball he bowled, and he did bowl quite a few no-balls. Appears the Patels have got to the Kiwis, no wonder they don't play Jeetan Patel that often.
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