Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Brisbane, January 13
The Indian spinners were on a high after decimating South Africa at home in the recently-concluded Test series. But they were completely ineffective in the first One-day International against Australia at Perth yesterday, and that left captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni very disappointed. “I never thought it will be the spinners who will have a very bad day and the others will have to share that responsibility,” said Dhoni after the loss.
However, it’s clear that spin can’t be the first-choice weapon on the fast and bouncy WACA wicket at Perth. Dhoni went into the game with two specialist spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, while Australia played three specialist pacers, two pace-bowling allrounders and one spin allrounder. India bowled 19 overs of spin (including one by Rohit Sharma), Australia bowled only three overs of spin (Glenn Maxwell).
India played two spinners in Perth in their three One-day matches at Perth last year — but they were against relatively weaker teams (West Indies and UAE) at the World Cup and against England in the tri-series before that.
Against Australia at Perth, it’s difficult to see a spinner do much damage. In fact, in the list of the top-15 wicket-takers at Perth, there are only two spinners — Maxwell and Shane Warne. Among the top-15 in the list of the best figures in an innings at WACA, there’s only one spinner, Ravi Shastri. (Surprisingly, Shastri has the best ODI figures by a bowler in Perth, 5/15 against Australia in 1991.) Among the bowlers who’ve taken five or more wickets in an ODI at WACA, there’s only one spinner (Shastri). Fourteen of the 15 best strike rates in an innings at WACA belong to fast bowlers (Shastri is the exception here, and also the table-topper).
The sum total of all these numbers is this — WACA is no place for spinners, except perhaps for a rare and freak performance (Shastri).
Dhoni’s choice
Dhoni played two spinners in each of India’s three games here last year, and perhaps he does believe that two spinners would work for him at this ground. It worked against two weak teams (West Indies and UAE), and didn’t work against a strong team, England.
In fact, Dhoni had included two spinners in the XI against Sri Lanka in 2012 too, and India won that game. So it’s possible that Dhoni does believe that India are better served by two spinners and three pacers at WACA.
But yesterday, his hand was forced — he had lost his two best fast bowlers, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, to injuries. Shami’s Australia visit ended before the first game, as he has sustained an injury to his left hamstring. Ishant has a cut on the index finger of his right hand, and that kept him out of the match.
Ineffective spinners
Australia is a tough place for a spinner. Anil Kumble averages 41.14 with a strike rate of 49.5 (ie, one wicket every 49.5 deliveries) in ODIs in Australia. Ravindra Jadeja’s average there is 62.81 and strike rate is 71. At first glance, Ashwin’s record in Australia appears much better — he averages 32.15 there, with a strike rate of 38.8. But this record includes matches against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, UAE, West Indies and Bangladesh, too.
Against only Australia, his record suffers — he’s played six ODIs against them in Australia, taking only four wickets at an average of 76 and a strike rate of 76.5.
Based on their record against Australia in that country, Dhoni should not have expected a great show by Ashwin and Jadeja yesterday. And certainly not at the fast WACA track.
On flat tracks usually provided for One-day cricket, Indian spinners suffer badly. Remember what South Africa did to Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Axar Patel in India’s previous ODI, in Mumbai on October 25?
In Australia, the challenge only gets tougher for our spinners. —TNS/PTI
Pace rules at waca
Among the top-15 wicket-takers at Perth, there are only two spinners (Maxwell and Warne)
In the list of the best 15 figures in an innings at WACA, there’s only one spinner (Ravi Shastri).
Among bowlers who’ve taken five or more wickets in an ODI at WACA, there’s only one spinner (Shastri)
14 of the 15 best strike rates in an innings at WACA belong to fast bowlers (Shastri is the exception)
Indian spinners in Australia
Anil Kumble averages 41.14 with a strike rate of 49.5 in ODIs in Australia
Harbhajan Singh averages 34.62 and has a strike rate of 48.8 in Australia
Ravindra Jadeja’s average in Australia is 62.81 and strike rate is 71
Ashwin’s record in Australia is better — average 32.15, strike rate 38.8
But against only Australia in that country, his record is bad — 4 wickets in 6 ODIs, average 76 and strike rate 76.5
