Former India spinner Maninder Singh tells DNA that Bhajji needs to attack a lot more.
When a visiting spinner creates ripples in cricketing circles as well as the Indian batting line-up, then it’s a cause for worry. But when an Indian spinner is made to look ordinary on that very pitch, then it is bound to raise questions. Spin has been India’s forte — in mastering the art as well as tackling it — but the hosts’ show in the first Test India against South Africa at Nagpur suggested something else.
On a shirtfront of a wicket in Nagpur, India’s tweakers — Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra — struggled against Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla. Paul Harris, meanwhile, stuck to the team’s plan by bowling a frustrating but effective line and walked away with four wickets, Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni being two of his victims.
Bhajji has to take responsibility and turn things around in the Kolkata Test. His bowling figures in the first Test were pathetic. You don’t concede 166 runs in 46 overs and come back with just two wickets.
Former India left-arm spinner Maninder Singh feels Harbhajan’s approach has been negative and he has to make amends in order to succeed against the Graeme Smith & Co. “His approach was negative throughout the match. Instead of going all out, he was playing the waiting game and not making an effort to take wickets,” Singh says.
He added there’s nothing wrong with Harbhajan’s technique. “He has the revolution but is trying to restrict the batsman and waiting for the wicket to help him. It is his spinning fingers that can help him. You cannot wait to take wickets on Day Four or Five. The field placings have not been proper. You need to have a silly point always as it disturbs the batsman but there was no one in that position. I think he should force the batsmen into making mistakes.”
Legendary off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna, too, is unhappy. “We have exposed our limitations of spin bowling. We are lacking in quality spin. There is no variation and the approach has not been great. Everyone expected India to play like a No.1 team but they were outplayed. The next match is important and we have to win.”
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