To make or not to make a turner
CATCH 22 SITUATION India were thrashed by Australia by a whopping 333run margin in Pune. The second Test of the series begins in Bangalore on Saturday The Indian spinners were trying to take leg before wickets all the while. They were looking to attack the pads, more than going for the edge.
MUMBAI: “For Bangalore, we are caught between the devil and the deep sea,” said Karnataka and India legend Erapalli Prasanna, observing that the Indian team management will be unsure what to do with the wicket now that their ploy to go for a rank turner has backfired.
“I don’t expect a turner at Banglaore,” the former off-spinner predicted as the debate over the Pune wicket rages on. “If I was the curator I will prepare a good wicket, which will turn from fourth and fifth day,” said Prasanna.
India had been on a roll in the long home season, till they hit a roadblock against the Australians last week. Prasanna observed India still didn’t have the right template for the wickets which suited their strengths. For him, the wins against South Africa, New Zealand and England were not exactly a pointer if India had got their pitch preparations right. “Against New Zealand, we succeeded because they crumbled in a heap. We batted well versus England, but it was bad captaincy by them despite getting scores of 400 plus. But, Australians will kill you if you allow them to get 400, (they are) not like India lasted 444 balls (74 overs). This was the third lowest number of balls they’ve faced. 12/70 by O’Keefe is the 2nd best match haul by a visiting bowler England. The England captaincy was really poor.”
Things have changed in Indian cricket in the sense that the local curators have limited say in the preparation of the wicket. According to the new BCCI diktat, the local expert works under the supervision of the zonal and the chief curators, who fly down a few days ahead of the Test.
The surprise factor of the opening Test was the Indian spin troika being outperformed by the Australians. So far, the Indian spinners had been outstanding,, but at Pune, Prasanna was put off by Ashwin & Co’s line of attack. Since the DRS has been introduced, leg before has come into play more, but Prasanna said the bowlers cannot change their line of attack because of that.
“The Indian spinners were trying to take leg before wickets all the while (at Pune). In recent times, a lot of leg-before decisions have been given on the front foot, (hence) they were looking to attack the pads, more than going for the edge of the bat and caught behind.”
Giving a basic example, he said, as in batting “reverse sweep is just an incidental shot, it’s not a proper stroke like the cover drive”.
“Jadeja was unable to control his spin, and depending a lot on his arm ball, while Ashwin was attempting leg before only. Where as the Australian spinners were trying to take the genuine wickets. That was the difference between our bowlers and theirs.”
Prasanna said the spinners should have looked to flight the ball. “They were not tempting the batsmen to come out and drive, on that wicket they should be flighting the ball more, I saw it happen only once in 75 overs, when Ashwin drew out Steve Smith in the first innings.”
They were not tempting the batsmen to drive, on that wicket they should be flighting the ball more, I saw it happen only once in 75 overs