How to get back to winning ways. Yes, it’s possible.

Nisha 01 Apr 2010

I had said last time no need to overhaul the batting line-up because we had lost to Delhi. It was our first loss after 4 wins on the trot so we should have just swapped Morgan for Merwe as Merwe has been good in the first game and more importantly, bowled effectively for us last season. KP and White are good players but they haven’t really clicked when they’ve played for us. Kallis, Boucher, Merwe, and Ross Taylor have played more matches and have gelled well with the team. KP has a big reputation, yes, but he can’t simply walk into our line-up. Honestly, only Ross Taylor could do that. Hence, the team management shouldn’t feel bad about keeping KP out. Anil Kumble mentioned he’s too good of a player to miss out or something to the that effect which worries me because Kumble shouldn’t feel compelled to play him because of the price tag or his reputation. Dale Steyn has only come good this IPL so I think it is a bit of a learning curve. KP, White, and Morgan still need to get a hang of the game.

Or at least our game.

We are sort of a quirky side. We usually plod along until the 15th over and then start the fireworks. We are generally better at chasing. And we bowl with a lot of heart. We can’t repeat today’s situation which saw KP and White come in the crucial 15th over and take time to find their feet. Kallis shouldn’t have gotten out, but he’s the sort of guy who goes after the bowling after his 50. It’s what worked for him so today it didn’t come off. Dropping him isn’t the solution and neither is asking him to go ballistic from the word go. Instead other players like Pandey, Kohli, Uthappa should go for the big shots knowing that Kallis will be there to act as an anchor. And for the 15th over, we need a finisher. A Ross Taylor. Or a Mark Boucher. Boucher is someone who needs to be retained because he knows the drill; he knows the importance of those runs in the last 5 overs as he’s finished quite a few games for us which could have gone either way. And crucially, he’s doing a stellar job behind the stumps. Let’s not burden Uthappa with this job because we need him to concentrate on his batting. A drop catch could affect his batting and we really don’t need that.

And now I come to the hot topic of conversation.

Dravid.

Tempers are flaring on the messageboards, but I will try to put it across calmly. It is a mistake to have Dravid come at 7 or 8, pure and simple. He can play better than Kohli, KP, White so what’s the point of him playing so low? I seriously hope they are not phasing him out like what the Deccan Chargers have done to VVS because, well, there are just so many things wrong with that. Dravid was the only bright spot in our disasterous first season. He came back stronger in the second season and was involved in many match-winning partnerships. I still remember everytime Manish Pandey played a great knock, Dravid was there too, rotating the strike and allowing Pandey to play more freely. Maybe that’s why Pandey is not able to convert those starts into 50s like last year? Need I wax on? He may not be a wham-bam player, but as Tendulkar has shown, it’s not all about sixes. With that said, Dravid can hit those sixes too. I haven’t seen Dhoni, Gambhir, Yuvraj, Ganguly setting my tv screen on fire yet. But unlike Dravid, they have been given a lot more chances to do so. And enough with the “old legs” talk. Dravid’s phenomenal backwards running catch and his crucial run-out of Hayden proves he still has it and is eager to play a part. It’s a strange world when I’m forced to listen to the poster child of hair transplant miracles, Harsha Bhogle, interview Dravid and refer to him as a senior citizen.

Enough is enough.

I just hope the team management is wiser than that. If they think leaving out KP isn’t sending the right message, I can tell you now having Dravid just above Praveen Kumar in the batting order is much more degrading. And avoidable.

We still have time to make amends. Dravid needs to come at 3 or 4 and keep the scoreboard nicely ticking till that 15th over. Cue fireworks by Kohli, Taylor, Boucher, or Uthappa and get the total to be 170+. The opposition would get demoralized with the assault in the last 5 overs and there would be a spring in our steps when fielding. And if we’re chasing, the same rules apply; the only difference being the oppostion would get demoralized because we had won the game! Hopefully next match we will get the combination right and get back to our winning ways!

11 Comments

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As BRC does have good batting line up they are doing good job with the bat. but the bowling order being un experienced only Kumble is performing well. It lacks for one more spinner. They have to plan the 11 players according to conditions of the pitch.

coolsparade on 02 Apr 2010, 03:32 AM

i dnt agree. KP played well today. i wonder whats the rational behind playing Praveen kumar in the team!! if it is due to the fact that he bats a bit then im sorry to say that if 7 batsmen cnt do the job for you then what will the 8th do?? wld jike to see mithun in his place. Ross is cumin in so our team will get the booster does it requires.
my playing 11,
kallis & robin @ the top
rahul @3, KP @4, virat @5, ross @6,
manish @7, vinay @8, anil @9, styn @10,
& mithun @ 11

vinchallenger on 01 Apr 2010, 08:41 PM

Oh god ! not again .... some1 pls ask jumbo 2 send dravid up de order .... wts de use in having him in de team ?? kallis n kp wasted those 3 overs frm 12 - 15overs.. 1 over was wicket maiden:( :( ... bcos they`re nt gud at playing spin ... dravid should`ve batted tat time ... he wud hve added 10 - 15 runs 2 de total.. plsssssssssssssss .. we`re fans of RCB jus bcos dravid s der ... we don expect dis kind f treatment 2 him ... i`m upset very much ... :( :(

sri20 on 01 Apr 2010, 07:20 PM

The ruthlesness RCB showed aginst RR,just full of length bouncing off the batsmen,was sorely missing in last night's match against CSK.Also RCB gave away too many easy singles,fielders should have been brought in a bit.Uthappa is still immature to bat at no:3,he should come at no:5...no:3 is KP,followed by White.Give "rest" to Dravid,bring in Mithun,an extra bowling cum batting option.

phanindra-acharla on 01 Apr 2010, 03:31 PM

Kallis has to be rested for sure and dravid has to be at 3 lets watch out for ross in future

NSSK on 01 Apr 2010, 01:00 PM

Yea ! Thats right . U cant really select a team based on price tag rather u need to select on type of batsman . The role they usually do . That ll make a good combination. Actually in our team , we lack a spinner , merve s must in team , if u r keeping boucher out , plz do play him , there s no need of of playin so many batsman . Another thing we need s hard hitter at lower middle order which can be fulfilled by rossy. This would make a good team. Think of it . Better play a best team next time.

iSujith on 01 Apr 2010, 10:39 AM

yeah i agree van der merwe should be bought back in so as to not give runs spin is very effective :) and pls dravid should come up in batting even with kallis as the main man and tht strategy tht dravid will come after he falls was not followed today when kallis got out ........cummon if following a strategy pls stick to it chnges may affect the whole game :)

PrinceDravid on 01 Apr 2010, 09:59 AM

I know he is the orange cap holder and all.. But i am not really impressed Kallis. He either plays couple of shots in the beginning and later on makes the game slow or starts slowly and hit a couple of shots at the end. When Ross Taylor comes it would be a good idea to "rest" Kallis for a couple of matches. Dravid can play the anchor role on top. White and Kevin are in good form. They will come good in the coming matches. Also i would love to see Abhimanyu Mithun in playing 11. He had an excellent Ranji outing. Vinay can probably sit out for a couple of matches.

alishathomas on 01 Apr 2010, 09:21 AM