Sport

Spinners on song turn it on for India

Gwalior: Compared to the Indian spinners Pakistan’s spin attack is missing a crucial element. There’s spin, but where’s the attack? The occasional good delivery has trickled out of the mediocrity, but for most parts, the spinners have been reduced to cannon fodder.

In contrast, Harbhajan Singh has been outstanding, Murali Kartik impressive, and Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar effective when offered the chance.

Harbhajan’s progress has been steady since his comeback. He’s managed successful attacking spells at both T20s and one-dayers, which reflects his talent and improved temperament. His second wicket of the series came through a ‘doosra’ that teasingly floated around Mohammad Yousuf’s purview and deceived him.

Unafraid to toss it up when needed, he sent it high to Shoaib Malik, who matched it with altitude, and was caught at the deep. Salman Butt failed to spot a fuller one while attempting a reverse sweep at Kanpur. In these three matches, Harbhajan has floated it, sent it fizzing quick and evened them out with a crawler.

It’s one thing getting helpful wickets and quite another making the most of them. Rightfully, Harbhajan came in for praise from his captain after the Kanpur win. “I never really thought they came close to winning. The pitch was on the slower side, the ball was not coming onto the bat, the wicket was assisting the spinners and Bhajji was bowling so well. It was very difficult to score off him,” said M.S. Dhoni.

Kartik has been less effective, but impressed in the first match. The figures were less flattering at Kanpur, but his attitude, even when hit, was encouraging. He put Misbah-ul-Haq on a leg-stump diet before the latter’s craving for variety consumed him.

There was the additional pressure to excel on a turning track; but lessons are there to be learnt from the experience.

Pakistan’s woes have come from its specialist full-time spinner. Abdur Rehman, a left-arm spinner with relative inexperience has been up against a batting side studded with left-handers.

Southpaws Sourav Ganguly, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan outnumber the right-handers, and being attacking batsmen, make it harder for Rehman.

Realising that their partnership suffered too much from facing the wrong bowlers, Dhoni’s tactic to switch worked like a dream. Rehman was swatted by Yuvraj, with Dhoni singling out Malik for his runs.

Economy rates of over six are revelatory. Malik spent most of his pace-bowling resources a little too early, and found himself, Rehman and Shahid Afridi having to face most of the trouble.

Afridi can be used as a surprising element, to usher in a batting collapse with an unexpected wicket, but not as a consistent spearhead.

The wicket at Gwalior for the fourth ODI is unabashedly batsman-friendly.

It might cold-shoulder the spinners, which could again make it a toss-up between Virender Sehwag and Kartik for India.

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