At par performance, yet out?
Cross Posted from Pencil (12/14/2005)
From the below stats of the recently concluded test match, it is very evident that only two players have performed consistently in both the innings - Gautham Gambir and Saurav Ganguly. While the former increased his second innings tally by adding one more than his first essay, the latter got one lesser than his own first outing. Was this the yardstick used for dropping Ganguly and retaining Gambhir?
Do I hear you say; "You are comparing apples to oranges; Gambhir is a opener but Ganguly..."?
But then, why replace an orange with an apple for the third test? Yes I am questioning the replacement of Saurav with Wasim Jaffer.
Okay, now let us consider the middle order. Surprisingly and as rarely as it happens, every one of the middle order batsman has gotten a decent score atleast in one of the two innings. Ganguly stands out as an exception being the only player to cross 35 in both the innings. Yeah he didn't get a fifty like the others did. But to me a 40 and 39 seems equally good if not better than a 69 and 11 (Laxman) or a 0 and 77 (Yuvraj) or a 5 and 51 (Dhoni) or a 0 and 93 (Irfan).
This is not an arguement against the other Indian middle order batsmen. But, it beats me to justify the selection of Ganguly just to be dropped again after what should be considered a decent performance on a brave comeback inspite of the odds that are working against him.
If the selectors had already decided to drop Saurav, irrespective of his performance in the Test, then why include him at all in the first place for one game.
If at all somebody needs to be dropped to bring in Sarad Pawar's Wasim Jaffer, it was the opener who has been miserable in all the oppurtunities that he has had in this series.
If Ganguly is old, Wasim Jaffer is not far behind especially considering that he is just beginning all over at 27. Atleast if you are bringing in the youngsters like Shikar Dhawan or Gaurav Dhiman or Robin Utthappa, I can understand.
My worry is, I just don't want to see the entire Bombay team be labeled the Indian team yet again as we had it in the 70s. I would n't be surprised if Sairaj Bahutule gets a call back along with Romesh Powar in the bowling department.
The stand and deliver attitude of More and Co. does not help and if it can happen to Ganguly, so can it easily to every one in the team.
It is essential, as I reiterate from my previous post, that superstars like Saurav, Kumble and Laxman be given a proper farewell for they have served the country for long and well. An abrupt end to their careers is simply not acceptable and does not reflect the character of the nation that celebrates this particular sport as religion and worships its players as ...
Stats of the batsmen in the 2nd Test Match against Sri Lanka
Player - 1st Inn - 2nd Inn - Ave
G Gambhir - 2 - 3 - 2.5
*R Dravid - 24 - 53 - 38.5
VVS Laxman - 69 - 11 - 40
SR Tendulkar - 109 - 16 - 62.5
SC Ganguly - 40 - 39 - 39.5
Yuvraj Singh - 0 - 77* - 77
+MS Dhoni - 5 - 51* - 56
IK Pathan - 0 - 93 - 46.5
From the below stats of the recently concluded test match, it is very evident that only two players have performed consistently in both the innings - Gautham Gambir and Saurav Ganguly. While the former increased his second innings tally by adding one more than his first essay, the latter got one lesser than his own first outing. Was this the yardstick used for dropping Ganguly and retaining Gambhir?
Do I hear you say; "You are comparing apples to oranges; Gambhir is a opener but Ganguly..."?
But then, why replace an orange with an apple for the third test? Yes I am questioning the replacement of Saurav with Wasim Jaffer.
Okay, now let us consider the middle order. Surprisingly and as rarely as it happens, every one of the middle order batsman has gotten a decent score atleast in one of the two innings. Ganguly stands out as an exception being the only player to cross 35 in both the innings. Yeah he didn't get a fifty like the others did. But to me a 40 and 39 seems equally good if not better than a 69 and 11 (Laxman) or a 0 and 77 (Yuvraj) or a 5 and 51 (Dhoni) or a 0 and 93 (Irfan).
This is not an arguement against the other Indian middle order batsmen. But, it beats me to justify the selection of Ganguly just to be dropped again after what should be considered a decent performance on a brave comeback inspite of the odds that are working against him.
If the selectors had already decided to drop Saurav, irrespective of his performance in the Test, then why include him at all in the first place for one game.
If at all somebody needs to be dropped to bring in Sarad Pawar's Wasim Jaffer, it was the opener who has been miserable in all the oppurtunities that he has had in this series.
If Ganguly is old, Wasim Jaffer is not far behind especially considering that he is just beginning all over at 27. Atleast if you are bringing in the youngsters like Shikar Dhawan or Gaurav Dhiman or Robin Utthappa, I can understand.
My worry is, I just don't want to see the entire Bombay team be labeled the Indian team yet again as we had it in the 70s. I would n't be surprised if Sairaj Bahutule gets a call back along with Romesh Powar in the bowling department.
The stand and deliver attitude of More and Co. does not help and if it can happen to Ganguly, so can it easily to every one in the team.
It is essential, as I reiterate from my previous post, that superstars like Saurav, Kumble and Laxman be given a proper farewell for they have served the country for long and well. An abrupt end to their careers is simply not acceptable and does not reflect the character of the nation that celebrates this particular sport as religion and worships its players as ...
Stats of the batsmen in the 2nd Test Match against Sri Lanka
Player - 1st Inn - 2nd Inn - Ave
G Gambhir - 2 - 3 - 2.5
*R Dravid - 24 - 53 - 38.5
VVS Laxman - 69 - 11 - 40
SR Tendulkar - 109 - 16 - 62.5
SC Ganguly - 40 - 39 - 39.5
Yuvraj Singh - 0 - 77* - 77
+MS Dhoni - 5 - 51* - 56
IK Pathan - 0 - 93 - 46.5
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