Two Indian Cricket Team Spinners With Almost Identical Fortunes

By: Sandipan Bose

Indian Cricket Team spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is probably going through the worst IPL season. He is ranked 37th in the wicket-takers’ list and has only three scalps from ten matches with a bowling average of 72.

His economy is also at a very poor rate of 7.2, and the confidence is also low that even his captain of the Rising Pune Supergiants. MS Dhoni couldn’t trust him bowl more than an over on Saturday’s match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Like he did in the past, Ashwin has been trying too many things this year’s league. He tried to flight the ball and went for runs. He tried bowling with a flat trajectory, that too didn’t work. He experimented with his trademark ‘carom ball’ even failed.

It’s not only Ashwin who is struggling for good form. His senior competitor Harbhajan Singh of the Mumbai Indians is also grappling with success.

So, far Harbhajan has only taken six wickets from 11 matches and looking an inch better than Ashwin. Most importantly, his captain, Rohit Sharma, is able to make Harbhajan bowl his quota of four overs.

Still judging by their current form, it is tough to imagine how these the two spinners – Ashwin and Harbhajan – were key members for India in the World T20 Championship, which ended days before the IPL season kick-started.

Simultaneously, expecting them to be at the top of their game isn’t possible. That is because form is temporary. But if you are a good bowler and not able to get those important wickets, least you could do is to contain the flow of runs on behalf of your team.

But both Ashwin and Harbhajan have failed on those counts. It’s also not that Harbhajan and Ashwin aren’t trying. They are doing whatever it takes, but their style of attack is known to all and sundry.

They have become so predictable that the oppositions aren’t too worried. Ashwin’s form, for instances, isn’t good for the Indian Test team, where he is a very key bowler.

While Harbhajan isn’t as young as Ashwin and, therefore, his form won’t hurt India that much. It’s true that the T20 form has nothing to do with bowling in Test cricket.

But as a bowler, you need ready to perform in all formats. You lose out if you don’t do it. It does strange things to your confidence.