2013 Tour of India

[Sedat]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

Yeah not so much. I was more referring to the young spinners coming through that are being suggested we fast track.

I reckon by next summer Fawad Ahmed will be our first choice test spinner. Can rip it when needed and has good control - he's more consistent leggie than Imran Tahir for the Saffers, who is a similar age and was getting regular test matches for them until we pummelled him out of the international scene in Adelaide.

[Greystache]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

I reckon by next summer Fawad Ahmed will be our first choice test spinner. Can rip it when needed and has good control - he's more consistent leggie than Imran Tahir for the Saffers, who is a similar age and was getting regular test matches for them until we pummelled him out of the international scene in Adelaide.

Agree. Of the state level spinners I've seen he looks the most promising. Virtually every Australian spinner coming through has a really ordinary stock ball and rely on their variations to pick up the occasional wicket. It might be enough to pick up wickets when first on the scene, but once batsmen have seen a bit of them it's not enough. Ahmed has a wicket taking leggie and can replicate it fairly consistently, he's at the front on the queue for me.

My thoughts on spinners clearly differ from those in talent identification, but for me if you don't have a wicket taking stock ball you're never going to be a good test match bowler. Having variety and good control are the areas coaches should be trying to develop later.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

I reckon by next summer Fawad Ahmed will be our first choice test spinner. Can rip it when needed and has good control - he's more consistent leggie than Imran Tahir for the Saffers, who is a similar age and was getting regular test matches for them until we pummelled him out of the international scene in Adelaide.

He could very well be in the mix for the Ashes tour.

[lemmon]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

What would you do Lemmon, go with Cowan or Watson to open?

With Watson not bowling I'd have him at the top with Warner, pure and simply because he is a better batsman than Cowan. I want Watson bowling though, he's a genuine wicket taker and if he bowls I slide him down to 6 and he plays as a genuine all rounder. If Keith Miller couldn't bat above 6 what hope does Shane Watson have?

[lemmon]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

I reckon by next summer Fawad Ahmed will be our first choice test spinner. Can rip it when needed and has good control - he's more consistent leggie than Imran Tahir for the Saffers, who is a similar age and was getting regular test matches for them until we pummelled him out of the international scene in Adelaide.

Heading down to the G tomorrow to have a look, a 4th day wicket soyou're expecting your spinner to be amongst it, I'll be watching closely. Looking at his first class stats from Pakistan its quite a decent strike rate but looks like he can bleed runs, Tahir a fair comparison?

[Bornadog]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

With Watson not bowling I'd have him at the top with Warner, pure and simply because he is a better batsman than Cowan. I want Watson bowling though, he's a genuine wicket taker and if he bowls I slide him down to 6 and he plays as a genuine all rounder. If Keith Miller couldn't bat above 6 what hope does Shane Watson have?

Agree with Watson opening he is more consistent than Cowan. The only reason he is not bowling is he is trying to limit his injuries. Its a real shame

[Mantis]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

Would be interested to know if is Henriques playing as a batting all-rounder, a bowlking all-rounder or just an all-rounder?... Get that?

It will be interesting to see what sort of line-up India produce... Their strength doesn't lie with seamers so it will be no surprise to see 3 spinners picked.

[Sedat]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

It will be interesting to see what sort of line-up India produce... Their strength doesn't lie with seamers so it will be no surprise to see 3 spinners picked.

They had 4 spinners in their last test match against England - Ashwin, Ohja, Pulwya and Jadeja (not that he spins it) - I reckon they'll play 4 spinners again in Chennai and the pitch will turn square on the first morning. Poor old Ishant Sharma will be the doing the donkey work on his own yet again.

[Remi Moses]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

Heading down to the G tomorrow to have a look, a 4th day wicket soyou're expecting your spinner to be amongst it, I'll be watching closely. Looking at his first class stats from Pakistan its quite a decent strike rate but looks like he can bleed runs, Tahir a fair comparison?

What I've seen so far he has better control than Tahir.

[Axe Man]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

Heading down to the G tomorrow to have a look, a 4th day wicket soyou're expecting your spinner to be amongst it, I'll be watching closely. Looking at his first class stats from Pakistan its quite a decent strike rate but looks like he can bleed runs, Tahir a fair comparison?

Ahmed has taken 4/80 from 29 so far in the second innings so seems to be bowling well. He has certainly looked good in the limited amount I have seen him bowl (a couple of 1 day games for Victoria). The biggest factor against him getting a game for Australia would be his age of almost 34, however I think he could provide a few years of useful service in the absence of any younger spinners really stepping up.

[Remi Moses]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

He'll play in the Ashes series at home.
Best spinner in the country.

[lemmon]

Re: 2013 Tour of India

Bowled beautifully, far more accurate than I first thought and has lovely variation. Hes one of those typically subcontinental wrist spinners, will throw out a leggie, topspinner and googly within an over. Not a huge spinner in the Shane Warne class but one of those tricky guys to get away. Im still a fan of Lyon but if he keeps putting up performances like this than who knows