India captain's tendency not to give his specialist bowlers their full quota more often than not, may prove costly against big teams
India captain's tendency not to give his specialist bowlers their full quota more often than not, may prove costly against big teams
Does Mahendra Singh Dhoni trust his specialist bowlers?
That's not always the impression the Indian captain gives during critical junctures of a game. While most were amused at Dhoni introducing Munaf Patel in the 25th over against West Indies on Sunday, it's a trend that can be traced in his captaincy over the last few years. In other words, Dhoni loves his part-timers.
Figures (see table below) suggest that only Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan have bowled a minimum of 8.5 overs per game in one-day internationals played by India between March 2009 and March 2011. R Ashwin has average 9.5 overs, but has played just eight games in his career.
Sure, the likes of Yusuf Pathan and Yuvraj Singh can get away with murder against lesser sides like Ireland and Bangladesh. But, will Dhoni trust their services during the big-ticket clash on Thursday? If Munaf proves expensive at the start of an innings, will Dhoni immediately resort to his part-timers? Will he persist with his specialists, or squeeze out as many overs as possible from Yuvraj and Co?
That's food for thought for the Indian team management.
Indian bowling across last two years...
Name of playeru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 Overs per gameu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 No of ODIs
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R Ashwinu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 9.5 u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 u00a0 u00a08
Harbhajan Singhu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a08.86 u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 u00a0u00a0u00a0 u00a038
Zaheer Khan u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 u00a08.5u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a026
Ashish Nehra u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 7.4 u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 47
Munaf Patel u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 7.6u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 18
Yuvraj Singh u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 5.7u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a039
Praveen Kumaru00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a07.8u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 25
Yusuf Pathan u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0 u00a05.3u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a029
S Sreesanthu00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a07.5u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a011
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