To get quality spinners, net must be thrown wide

Sunday April 13, 12:01 AM

The shortage of quality spin bowlers — a serious problem — is not being addressed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. And this is happening because the people in authority know very little about the game. About matters related to the game like sponsorships, publicity and money-making, they are all well qualified.

I remember some years ago while in conversation with the present chairman of the selection committee, Dilip Vengsarkar, he making a wonderful observation. "To outstanding spinners like Prasanna and Chandrasekhar, you have to concede the preliminary two hours in order to be in command for the rest of the day. In those two hours they try everything to get you out. But if you survive, then you have the upper hand. They get tired and there is a drop in intensity."

The idea behind conceding the preliminary two hours to such wonderful spinners by a top class batsman is a tribute to the duo’s skills as also the batsman’s deep understanding of how such spinners operate and how they goad one into an error. According to Prasanna, "Bowling to a top class batsman needs more than patience and perseverance. The objective is to get him out as early as possible for if he is allowed to stay he would do long term damage. So the stress needs to be on the utmost pressure being exerted initially. Try and not let him settle down to the sort of rhythm he likes and is comfortable with."

How many spinners playing in the country today can fit the bill? That is, measure up to these exacting standards. The thinking spin bowler does not seem to be encouraged as captains and coaches are reluctant to allow the spinner to innovate.

Much of the restrictive thinking has been caused by the demands of limited-overs cricket and even the spinners, who desperately want to play in the limited-overs version as well as the longer duration game, are willing to indulge in a bit of give and take. After all, survival comes first.

Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan are prime examples of slow bowlers who always enjoy themselves with the ball in hand. It is because both are gifted with the ability to spin it. Not break it like many slow bowlers tend to do. The latter have necessarily have to be quicker through the air and off the pitch as there are not sufficient revolutions on the ball.

Kumble, the third highest Test wicket-taker after Muralitharan and Warne, is primarily a breaker, except for the googly that he bowls slowly in comparison and spins. He would accept, maybe reluctantly, that he is not at his most effective on a good pitch because his primary weapon is change of pace.

Warne is different being a wrist spinner (another who did not last long was the Zimbabwean, Paul Strang, who had the potential to be world class), but among the orthodox spinners — finger to wrist — is the Pakistani, Saqlain Mushtaq.

In my view, after Prasanna he was the best and the doosra that he bowled was legitimate. How he got that forefinger of his to manoeuvre the ball is a source of wonder, but he might have used it more sparingly.

In cricket parlance, the question that a seasoned batsman would ask of another about a spinner is, "Is he a good wicket bowler?" The answer to this question is interesting.

And, when it is as follows — the bowler has spin in the air, drift in the air and control over length — batsmen know that they are up against a formidable bowler.

The more number of rotations (revolutions) imparted on a ball by the bowler the better chance of it turning and bouncing than a batsman expects it to. In fact, more than the extent of spin it is bounce that worries a batsman.

India’s leading off-break bowler, Harbhajan Singh is not a force to reckon with on good wickets. In contrast, his rival Romesh Powar is, though he inclined to be too slow through the air. The problem is batsmen find it easier to play him off the back foot.

Email this article to your friend

More Cricket News

India rip through South Africa, close in on victory
India v South Africa scoreboard
Sehwag strikes leave South Africa reeling
India gain control with two early wickets
India v South Africa third test scoreboard
Last pair earn India 60-run lead over South Africa
Ponting & Co feel the heat
Been there, done that: Thorpe's tips on dealing with minefields
The tough get going
Sourav, Laxman give India an edge