Friday, 21 February 2014

Poor technique galore against fast bowling, Australia v South Africa test series

Just when Indian X cricketers were busy criticising young Indian batsmen  for their poor technique to play fast bowling, I was watching South Africa vs Australia test series on television.

One thing I was carefully looking for was how Australians, South African batsmen play fast bowling so that I can compose an article comparing the techniques of Indian batsmen and them, and can pinpoint what exactly Australia and South Africa batsmen do well that they handle the short pitch fast bowling much better than the Indian batsmen. I was very disappointed and even confused with what I saw. 

Chris Rogers, Australia Opener
Chris Rogers, Australia Opener, needs to show
more than a fancy footwork to survive against
fast bowling of South Africa to prove he is better than
Shikhar Dhwan of India.

I have no doubt, with what I saw on TV, that Indian young batsmen, in particular Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Ajinkya Rahane displayed much better technique and temperament than South African and Australian batsmen while facing a fast bowler. Even Shikhar Dhawan looked better than what openers Graeme Smith and Chris Rogers are looking at the moment. Even the pitches are comparatively flatter in this series, no doubt about it, then what we saw in South Africa vs India series recently.

In the first match of the series, Mitchell Johnson proved too much to handle for South African batsmen. Hashim Amla, Grame Smith, all are in sixes and sevens when facing him. Other bowlers also took advantage of fear created by Mitch in South African batsmen and they picked some easy scalps too.

On second day of 2nd test between Australia and South Africa, being played at Port Elizabeth, South African fast men were all over the Aussie batsmen. Only adventurous David Warner was able to score some runs, with outside and inside edges mostly, while other 4 top order batsmen went back to pavilion by loosing their wickets due to poor technique rather than great bowling.

Seeing these batsmen, who are supposed to have the best technique against fast bowling, struggle so miserably and who are looking completely out of control, one wonder why all hell breaks out when some of Indian young batsmen, likes of Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, gets out to faster bowlers. They also don't face quick bowlers too often as they play more of their cricket on turning (not flat) Indian pitches. Clearly, double standards are adopted while judging players of India to others.

Also there has to be some balance when techniques are judged. Over the years Indian batsmen have mustered more runs in Australia and South Africa than the batsmen of those countries have managed to score on turning tracks in India. Indian batsmen,Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, leading test runs getters, have plundered runs all over the world. Same can't be said about non-indians when it comes to their performance in India. For example, a modern day great batsmen 'Ricky Ponting' of Australia, hardly managed an average with bat in India that can be called respectable. Ponting's average in India is 26.48 while his overall average is 51.85 runs.

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