Blogs Indian ODI Cricket Team: Easier To Curb Over-enthusiam Or Add Some Where It Is Lacking?
February 26th, 2008 by prashantConfused with the title? I am talking about two players who keep going in and out of the Indian team every time you blink. It’s Munaf Patel and Sreesanth. They both have a lot of potential and talent (so they all say), but are totally different from one another in one fundamental aspect. Sreesanth is all hyper and trying to do a million things whereas Munaf comes across as indifferent and laid-back. Sreesanth has all these procedures that he has to follow before, during and after deliveries but Munaf barely looks awake.
During this CB Series Munaf and Sreesanth have been playing musical chair for their position in the playing 11. If I am not mistaken, Munaf has been chosen as part of a 5 bowler attack whereas Sreesanth was selected when there were 4. Not sure if that was just coincidental or planned. In any case, for either of these players to be successful consistently, they have to try to be like the other person. What I mean is, Munaf can use a little bit of Sreesanth’s “over”-enthusiasm and Sreesanth would benefit being a little “less” enthusiastic.
If these two do not get their act together, with all these new bowlers coming up, it would not be long before they will go from being in playing 11 to “Selected-Team” to “Fringe” to Oblivion.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
I think they are already select candidates for the Selected-Team/Fringe groups. Zaheer and RP will come back (they should) after they recover from injury. That leaves only Ishant and Irfan for he 2 other spots.
There only chance is as replacement bowlers for the top 4 we have at the moment. Also remember we have Praveen Kumar although he still has to build a reputation.
Amol
February 28th, 2008 at 4:56 am
Personally, I would like Sreesanth to get back to the form he displayed in South Africa last year and be a permanent member of the side. Having said that, it is really heartening to see the slew of pace bowlers that India has produced in the past 2-3 years. Our pace men are now being compared to the best in the world and have started commanding increasing respect from the opponents.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:56 am
I agree with jatanr. I would like to see Sreesanth come back to form too! Not only bowling wise, but it was Sreesanth who started the whole ‘give it back to the opposing team’ culture in the Indian team. It may look over the top or bordering on stupidity but he definitely has ignited that feeling among the Indian team members, that they will not take any crap from anyone.
I am reminded of the analogy to Ramayan and Mahabharat. The Indian team was like Ram from Ramayan before, but now they are like Krishna from Mahabharat. Just like Krishna told Arjun to kill Karna when he was unarmed giving the example of the Kauravas killing Abhimanyu when he was unarmed, the Indian team is following the same footsteps! Sorry, I digress!
Yes, I am actually surprised, in a good way of course, to see so many fast bowlers coming up in recent years. It augurs well for Indian cricket.