The Offside
Absolutely not. The very suggestion is a preposterous one. A quick look at the records, both in the recent past and in the history of Indian cricket will tell you that such a ploy is destined for failure. Spin has always been India’s biggest strength, whether playing at home or away. At home, spinners are devastating and away they have provided the element of stability and variation that ensures that opposition batsmen cannot dominate the game in full.
A quick look back at the last three tours India has played will give a good idea of how crucial the presence of a spinner can be. When Australia visited the country to play a three-Test series and went 1-0 up at Mumbai, the whole country grimaced. Yet, a 32-wicket magical performance from Harbhajan Singh completely turned the tide and gave India victory.
Following his massive success against the Aussies, Harbhajan Singh traveled to Zimbabwe with the expectations of a nation weighing down heavily on his shoulders. Under pressure and called upon to bowl in conditions that did absolutely nothing to help the spinners, Harbhajan Singh was able to bowl a tight line and keep one end quiet while the pacemen attacked at the other end.
In Sri Lanka, where batsmen traditionally play spin very well, Harbhajan Singh was found wanting. That must be admitted at the outset. However, that was as much for want of good spin bowling company as personal shortcomings. With Anil Kumble back in the Indian team, and reportedly bowling close to his best, spin is India’s best option in South Africa. After all, a country that boasts Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini and Nantie Hayward is hardly going to flinch at the sight of an aging Venkatesh Prasad trundling down the wicket.
With the hosts being comfortable against mediumpace, the Indians must throw a spanner in the works by playing two spinners. After all, two seamers and a bit of mediumpace from the all-rounder, is more than enough in that department.
The Onside
When are Indians ever going to realise that times have changed? There’s no point going on and on about the great Indian spinners when such an animal does not exist. The land that produced legends of the calibre of Bedi, Prasanna, Chandrasekhar and Venkataraghavan are today struggling to get going in the spin department. That is the reality, and harsh though it may be, it must be faced.
Anil Kumble, as successful as he may have been at one time, is returning to international cricket after a long lay-off due to injury. The Karnataka legspinner is slowly building up to his full potential and naturally will take time. If under pressure early on, there’s every chance that his injury will relapse
Harbhajan Singh has been a disappointment in the last two series India played. Against Zimbabwe the offie scalped eight wickets from two Tests. In the very next series, Harbhajan took just four wickets in three matches against the Sri Lankans. On that basis, you can hardly expect Harbhajan Singh to be a matchwinner in South Africa.
The conditions in the Rainbow Country are anything but suited to spin bowling. This is a well established fact. The wickets are hard and bouncy and there is always a bit of lateral movement early on. Happily for India, this coincides with the emergence of a fairly potent mediumpace attack.
Veteran mediumpacer Javagal Srinath is steaming in and eager to do national duty. A rejuvenated Venkatesh Prasad has made a strong comeback, using his experience to great effect. Ajit Agarkar, given a jolt when he was dropped from the team that toured Sri Lanka, has signaled his intent very clearly. Bowling with good pace and wielding the willow usefully, the South Africa tour might just be the best one yet for Agarkar. Zaheer Khan, bowling with fire, is virtually fit and will join the team soon.
With this being the case, the Indians must think radically and attack the South Africans. As the adage goes, 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do... 'Play four mediumpacers and keep the Proteas on the back foot.
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