why seven batsmen theory of dhoni is flawed...

shared by straight point on Sunday, September 27, 2009

"The balance of our side doesn't encourage it (five bowlers). It's tough to play with just six batters for if you lose early wickets, it's difficult to make a comeback," said Dhoni on the eve of the match.

there is not much problem when you want to go with seven batsmen... sourav did it with good results in 2003 world cup... but for that to happen... you have to have 4 bowlers in top form so even if one bowler has off day that can be made up with other 3 going for the kill backed up ably by decent part timers... not when all four bowlers you have are in worst form of their lives... struggling to send ball to batsman at other end leave alone thinking it of landing at right places...

another flaw with seven batsman theory with dhoni version is where is seventh batsmen...? can you call yusuf pathan a batsman...?

earlier we have tried kaif, raina, karthik and even dravid (i think) but the common thing in all these options was that all these batsmen have game to survive and not just close eye and hoik across the line types... no wonder that kaif on many occasions came so low down and still scored a century or finished the game coz he had the game for it... while if yusuf survives for more than couple of overs even he seems to surprise himself...

opposition teams too are smart these days... they know that once you are entering with seven batsmen and your four front line bowlers are not in any kind of form they don't mind even losing two three wickets like pakistan did knowing that by deciding that you will step in ground with four bowlers only you have in a way declared your intent that you are not looking to take wickets in crucial middle overs... hence they could take it easy...

and that's exactly what happened... in spite of being under pressure and struggling to rotate strike... specially malik... they went unchallenged in middle overs... coz india could not find any bowler to challenge them... stifle them into submission with his guile and variation in spin friendly conditions...

so the question is... can india still make it to semi final stage...?

to that my answer will be... highly unlikely...

it would be nothing short of miracle and probably first time in the history of cricket if this will happen... coz no team till now has reached semi final stage of any cricket tournament without having bowlers in their ranks...

12 comments:

scorpicity said...

SP... First thing.

There is a problem with your site template. The text is getting cut off on the left, unless you have made it for more than 1024 resolution.

Having seven batsmen is fine. He can thrown in Nayar or have his pup Pathan. Having three duds of fast bowlers who are in their worst form of their life is not ok. Hope he goes with 2 frontline spinners and retain the balance.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone tell me why Kohli was selected?

Wasim said...

SP

India should drop Yousaf Pathan and Ishaant Sharma and should bring in Praveen kumar and Amit Mishra.Pathan is ridiculous as a batsman and is an average bowler.

Indophile said...

SP, do we have an option right now?
I don't know if anybody has seen anything in Nayyar,apart from what was on offer in IPL2, which frankly was pretty mediocre. There is another issue of him being a medium pacer, a very slow one, who will be as crappy as our current medium pacers. The best thing to do is to recall Irfan,drop RP singh, YP and give a chance to Mishra.

Anonymous said...

Why was Kohli at 4 ahead of Dhoni and Raina ?

Why is Yusuf Pathan still played ? Goddamn he has played almost every ODI since IPL - 1.

I wud go for Mishra tomorrow in place of RP Singh.

Just cos its Australia and Ishant has a nose over Ponting, he goes in. And Mishra got a 5-for against them in his first test in Mohali....

this is where Yuvraj is so crucial. The new lads have failed. And its a bad sign!!

rs said...

the seven batsmen also does not work because now your part time bowling options are more limited (without Viru, Yuvraj or Sachin bowling). If one of your 4 have an off day, there is not much choice.

And if your first 6 batsmen don't win you a match, the odds of the 7th batsmen pulling off a victory is very low.

straight point said...

exactly scopy... i am not against seven batsmen theory... but when you have duds like our seamers are... its anything but suicidal...

my blog width is 1100... tho thanks for pointing me i will check myself with different screen resolutions...

straight point said...

OTT... the investigation is still on... hopefully by next season the report will come... :)

straight point said...

exactly wasim...

ishant is darling of ad world and his absence gives jitters to sponsors... hence he is never rested and dropped even when its obvious to everyone that he is simple not fit to play at international level...

as for yusuf... this is going to the the great mystery that how he managed to fool whole nation into thinking that he is a batsman...

straight point said...

indophile...

nahiiiiii... no pathan's please... :)

i don't know what worse nayyar can do seeing the fate of our frontline bowlers...

as for mishra... he should go to showroom and buy hummer... slap someone on field and yes get his makeover done... mere being a good bowler is minus point these days actually...

straight point said...

indeed its a bad sign SAMeer... new kids don't seem to have any sense of opportunities knocking at door... and are rather content with their mediocre levels...

rest i as you said... i agree with you fully on ishant and mishra... :)

straight point said...

exactly RS... but who is going to bell this dhoni cat... :)

from being thinker he is not reduced to a defensive wreck... with fixed notions for everything...

about me...

BCC!straight point (sp) is restless... relentless... but a fun loving guy... likes to live life to fullest... trying to discover himself through cricket... welcome to this little world of his...

sp is also a bored member at BCC!

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