I was to get this post up two weeks ago but my work commitments ( which I love and takes priority over Bhajji) did not allow me to.
Anyways, here goes. This is exactly what one should not do – rush to conclusion about folks you do not know.It is one thing to put forth your point of view, it is another to term folks who do not agree to your POV as ignorant or to assume they are not bothered to refer Cricinfo Statsguru. By the way Statsguru is a tool , not a supreme court where the final judgement is delivered. I can go on about my view on using “only” statistics to justify your stance – because we can – we can twist stats the way we want to portray what we think is right. Read @MohanK ‘s views on statistics and I agree to every word he wrote there
I happened to reply back to @cricketingview when he shared a link to a group conversation on Twitter on defending Bhajji ( I do not follow him on twitter – just a clarification ) I had some idea he was a fanatic Bhajji supporter , so I accept my mistake of entering the debate. In the course of the debate that went on for( I do not remember how) long, I realized it will not matter what you point out against Bhajji.
- Bhajji is an average bowler – not great, not a match-winner, cannot be relied upon to win a match single-handedly. A bowler in decline since 2006.
- Bhajji has never managed to live up to the reputation he garnered during the 2001 Aus series ( No one including his biggest haters can take that series away from him)
- Today he thrives because sadly there is no one else to challenge him. It is a scary thought but it is true.
- His performances have been on a constant decline – with one bright spark throwing up everytime when his place has been questioned, is not the sign of a great bowler.
- You can compare the first 98 matches of Bhajji and the great spin trio of our times. A look at the bowlers’ performances for the first 98 matches (same as what Harbhajan has currently played) and you see clearly who is average among the four
- Barring Warne, no one had a strong pace attack to back them up
- Bhajji’s performance against SL (52 @ 38.80) and Pak (25 @ 52.04) is the worst of the lot
- I don’t get the hype about his 400 wickets. If you get to play 100 matches – and you are supposedly a decent bowler you get to 400 wickets – cause if you cannot get atleast 4 wickets in a match you have no business playing in the side for 13 years as a frontline spinner.
- The strike rate of Bhajji among all the greats he is placed with today(on account of number of his wickets) is the most poor – almost touching 70
- In the total playing years of getting to 98 matches, Bhajji has clocked an Average > 35 for 7 of those 13 years, 4 of those years since 2006. For the trio this phenomenon (which never exceeded 4 times in their entire career) was mostly noticed during their first year in international cricket and towards the end.
- Bhajji is 31 today – the age when bowlers/batsmen peak in their careers. Just how do you explain the decline in his form? There were glimpses of a resurgence in 2010 Vs SA and NZ but in WI/Eng he has been a disappointment again.
- Since 2006, Bhajji’s average has increased by 5 points and strike rate increased by 8.3 points
- Away wins – In terms of number of wickets taken Bhajji ranks overall at 38 (54 wickets) while Zaheer(83) ranks 13 and Kumble(80) ranks 14. 40 of Bhajji’s 54 wickets have come when either Zak or Kumble played.
- Post Kumble, Bhajji contributed to 11 wins(56 wickets @27.89) Vs Swann – 18 wins(85 wickets@22.76) , Zaheer 10wins at ( 53 wickets @23.69) and Ishaant 10 wins (41 wickets @25.92).
- – Bhajji contributed to 4 wins (18 wickets @ 23.77) Vs Swann – 6 wins (36 @ 25.02) , Zaheer – 4 wins (24 @ 22.29) and Ishaant – 6 wins ( 24 wickets @ 27.50)
- Just what makes Bhajji so special to be holding onto his place in the test side? Try the others, let them fail and then we are on even ground.
But here is why all those points I mentioned above are pointless when you try to debate with @cricketingview. This is how the “Bhajji Defense Program” works:
IF (Argument = Anti-Bhajji) Then
Do
{
- You cannot compare finger and wrist spinner
- Bhajji had no supporting pace attack
- Bhajji had no spinner friendly pitches
- Pace attack was smashed cannot blame Bhajji
- Performances Vs SL-Pak – teams not worth including
- I can compare Ishaant a pace bowler to prove Bhajji’s superiority, if you do so, well you are wrong in comparing pace and spin
- I can compare Warne, Murali, Kumble, Swann and Bhajji – if you do so – do you not understand points 1 & 2?
- Bhajji will only take wickets when he has good supporting bowlers, groom Ashwin/Ojha to help Bhajji get back to form
- Bhajji did not get wickets – he was being defensive and stemming the run flow
- Bhajji went for too many runs – he was taking risks in trying to get wickets
}
While (Other party runs out of patience)
If anyone of you can pull out an Anti-Bhajji stat that cannot be countered by the Bhajji Defense Program – The Drinks Are On Me!
Bhajji is a bowler with his prime left way way behind. All the arguments like: support bowling not being there or stemming run flow being his role or showcasing doosra on a cement concrete road or scoring more runs that giving away or abusing rival team members eventually losing control of match/self………….are all things of past. Bygones are Bygones, the show must go on, we need a spin bowler who can turn not only on our tracks but also on foreign shores.
Nice article must say.
Sandeep,
Thanks. I fully agree with you. That has been my argument through out – why is Bhajji special that he needs so many defense points? You tell me he is a great bowler so when I bring out all the points where he is not,
what sort of defense is put up? I understand different point of views – but being in denial about Bhajji’s decline is something I cannot understand:-)
I think you’ve repeated Zak’s wkts & avg in away wins for Ishant (24 at 22.29). Or are they exactly the same?
Both have equal wickets – I need to correct Ishant’s average:-) Thanks for pointing out!
Hi
He has been in decline since forever. Which is sad. He sometimes bowls so beautiful. (And should be dropped from test side)
Argument about finger and wrist spinners are nonsense. Bhajji is a non-classical offspinner and uses a lot of his wrists in his delivery. That is way he can bowl the doosra. You should be taking wickets no matter what you bowl (otherwise, why do you bowl?)
And the tendency for finger spinners to bowl defensively the past few decades is not something that goes back in the history. Finger spinners use to be strike bowlers (Prasanna, Laker, Tayfield, etc). Bhajji needs to strike – and he doesn’t.
Thanks.
I was told I cannot be taken seriously because I do not understand the difference between finger and wrist spinners:-) So maybe I’m not the best to comment:-)
To me your main bowler is a strike bowler – your go-to-man. Akram, Younis, Kapil, Kumble, Zaheer, Warne, McGrath, Murali, Donald, Steyn are/were that. So if you tell me Bhajji is as good as them then you can’t tell me he does not have support and hence should not be expected to take wickets.
Yes, he did bowl beautifully, even sometimes now he shows glimpses. But glimpses don’t make a match-winner and Bhajji is anything but a match-winner.
I do reckon he was dropped unfairly from ODI squad – done a decent job of defending runs there ( the format does not warrant you take wickets all the time) but from tests he needs to go.
Agreed. He should stay in ODI. He is difficult to score from (T20 as well).
But, he must take wickets as a strike bowler, and so should go from the tests.
The modern trend is seen that finger spinners (Bhajji) should be more defensive and be containment bowlers.
I maintain this is nonsense. It is the modern trend that is obsessed with keeping runs down that causes this believe.
A spinner’s (be it finger spin) #1 aim was and must still be to take wickets. You cannot win tests without taking 20 wickets.
Err… just to let you know, I once had a Twitter argument with Kartikeya (@cricketingview) about Bhajji once, and was quite exhausted at the end of it.
I do not understand his obsession with Bhajji, but then, to each his own! I remember telling him that in my opinion, Bhajji is a decent bowler not bowling anywhere near decent at the moment (backed up by a few statistics that you have mentioned above).
In any case, I am on your side of the Bhajji debate that you got in with Kartikeya. But I have to say that I wish that he regains his old bowling form back, and quickly. I think he still can be a very good contributor for the good of Indian cricket, and now is the time for him to prove that he’s built of steel!
Spot on to say that he did not warrant being dropped from the ODIs (and even the T20s).
Tests, for sure, he had it coming. And since some time now. Completely wrong line he has ingrained. Into the pads. While that may work fine in ODIs/ T20s, one only needs to see Graeme Swann and his classical offspinner’s line, and the classicial off spinner’s flight. Used to think Swann is overrated, but he was a revelation – keeping all options open – Just outside off, working the ‘bowled through the gate’, the lbw, and the outside (and inside edges). [albeit it was very educating to see Dravid stay on the backfoot to counter Swann!]. Bhajji almost has taken the bowled out of the equation, and to some extent, even the lbw, relying mostly upon the leading edges/ miscues, thereby, giving himself much lesser chances to take wickets.
I think Bhajji is and has been a confidence bowler… As a cricket lover; stats take a back seat…. when you watch a match you see a player’s impact…. Two varyingly different natures of Bhajji’s character and by implication of his bowling was on view in the CLT20… in the semis.. this guy cudnt summon the courage to bowl a crucial over and handed reins to a part-time bowler in Franklin as his earlier overs had failed… and the same guy comes and prices out Gayle in the final and is on cloud nine… The problem really is .. the bowler in the final has become exceedingly rare… the real question for me is.. have the others measured up to the challenge…ashwin and ojha seem decent.. amit mishra seems hyped and piyush chawla is a non-bowler… others r really nowhr close… and this has contributed to bhajji being still a force in the team… had we gotten a swann lined up bhajji wud have dissappeared… lov the way he makes the batsman dance and miss…
Shreyas I still maintain Bhajji is a decent ODI/T20 bowler. During the Eng series Ganguly highlighted an aspect of Bhajji – the guy is a different bowler if he gets a wicket in his first few overs, else he sulks, shoulders drop. To me that spells an attitude problem. To me Bhajji is a great supporting act – to call him a match-winner is where we make the mistake or even when he gets compared to the trio . Barring 2001 Aus series – tell me a match or series which Bhajji won single handedly with his bowling ? I can tell quote a few for the trio. He has thrived cause of no competition – our tragedy.