The Hindu : Sport : India needs to address bowling issues

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Friday, Jan 20, 2006

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India needs to address bowling issues

S. Dinakar

Faisalabad has produced many drawn Tests

BOX SEAT: M.S. Dhoni watches Sachin Tendulkar go hammer and tongs during the practice session. — Photo: S. Subramanium

Faisalabad: It's a conundrum without easy answers — finding the right balance in the XI. And the Indians will have to grapple with the issue of its bowling attack in the second Allianz Test beginning at the Iqbal Stadium on Saturday.

The crucial questions are whether to play a fifth specialist bowler or replace a spinner with a paceman. The surface has a layer of grass all right, but it is brownish in colour, indicating that it is dead grass. It is generally believed that only the live green grass encourages seam movement. While there might be some assistance to the pacemen initially, the pitch could increasingly assist the spinners.

Still, it would be premature to pass judgment on the pitch. A lot would depend on the hardness of the track. Traditionally, this has been a venue where a draw has been the most predictable result. Tall scores have been commonplace in Faisalabad.

Forecast not encouraging

Both sides went through their practice sessions on a bright, sunny afternoon here; the forecast for the days ahead is not too encouraging, though. From an Indian perspective, the focus is on the bowlers. There were enough indications in the first Test, despite the placid nature of the run-filled Gadaffi Stadium pitch, that the Indians needed to address bowling-related issues.

There are various possibilities: Scenario 1: The Indians actually pick a bowler for a batsman, giving more options to Rahul Dravid on a surface where he might need additional resources. This could make Sourav Ganguly's position in the XI vulnerable but this option is not likely to be explored by the team-management, at least for the second Test.

India has, over the years, achieved significant success with a two-two combination (two pacemen and two spinners), but the third medium-pacer could strengthen the attack.

The side will thus have three pacemen to take advantage of any freshness in the surface if it fields first and still have two spinners when the ball starts spinning from, possibly, the third day.

Kartik will be missed

Scenario 2: Either Zaheer Khan or Rudra Pratap Singh replaces

Harbhajan Singh in the XI. The Sardar, not too comfortable with the Kookaburra ball, was taken to the cleaners by the Pakistanis, Shahid Afridi in particular. The Indian selectors have not shown much wisdom by leaving out left-arm spinner Murali Kartik who could have provided the team-management an extra option.

The Pakistanis are fluent players of off-spin and it is against quality leg-spin that they run into problems. Zaheer has the experience and is a seam bowler with a Test record that cannot be scoffed at. R.P. Singh swings the ball more than Zaheer and could be more comfortable with the Kookaburra ball that assists swing more than seam. Or one of them might replace Ajit Agarkar, whose Test record, except for that match-winning spell in Adelaide, has been pretty ordinary. It was with three pacemen and a spinner that India achieved both its victories on the 2004 tour, at Multan and Rawalpindi.

Scenario 3: India retains faith in its spin pair of Kumble and Harbhajan, who bowl well in tandem. Both are attacking bowlers, maintain the pressure on the opposition and eventually win matches. If the Indian gameplan is to bowl first, then two spinners, especially on a sub-continental surface, become mandatory.

India could sorely miss a second spinner as the contest unfolds, especially if there is wear and tear on the pitch. The left-arm paceman could also create a rough for the off-spinner to exploit.

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