prasen9 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 4:40 pm
Rajkumar Sharma wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 3:41 am
If Shardul needs to make any impact he should come to bat at 3/4 and make contributions rather useless 20/30s at 7.
That is nonsense. Kapil Dev never batted at 3/4. He was very useful. Shardul just needs to bat better at #7. 20s and 30s are not useless at #7 but are very valuable instead of the 0s and 5s our bowlers contribute. Shardul needs to both bat better and bowl better.
Kapil Dev & Shardul too much nonsense in that. One generation talent had differant skill set compared to a mediocre. Kapil Dev had solid bowling ability that could make any captain to pick in Playing XI even in Indian tracks. Shadul's bowling looks unless batters makes mistake he can't get any of them out. At 7 neither he can take the team out from worst position or can pick a 5 for when partnership happens. Kapil's batting skill was differant, he had the ability to handle swing in SENA and spin in India, it was not throwing bat at every ball like Shardul. Shardul is nothing but a high class tailander who can perform in once in a blue moon. His selection will affect the team, its better to pick a proper batter or bowler then an average allrounder. If he wants to improve his skills he needs to follow Jadeja's way who had 3 triple ton batting at 4 for Saurashtra, certainly his batting skills will improve in facing new balls.
prasen9 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 4:40 pm
Irfan Pathan bowled and batted at about 32 runs/wicket. That was very valuable. Many matches can be won if your #7 puts up a solid stand with a 30 odd run. That prevents total collapse of the tail. We need someone who can emulate Irfan.
Again Irfan was brilliant with the bowl he could cover his batting failure with the bowl, was a treat to watch with new ball in red ball cricket. Shardul can't replicate even 1% of it.
prasen9 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 29, 2023 4:40 pm
Shardul cannot even bat at a 20 runs/innings and that is the problem. He needs to bat better in the tail. No need for nonsensical #3/4 experience. He needs to bat at a solid #6, #7 in the domestics so that he is a good #7-8 types in tests.
He needed interest like unknown Pandya, that could make skipper like Rohit promote at n.o 3/4 or open the bowling, ball as 2nd change bowler, where MI had team filled up with legends. Only he can give value to the team now is by warming in the bench, last 1 year he hasn't been such a great performer, time to pick new allrounders like Harshit Rana or Raj Bawa who are performing in domestic