Selectors grope around in dark scenario

Admittedly, the Indian bowling in the absence of Anil Kumble, is a cause for some concern. But do the selectors have to really press the panic button? This policy will only play into the hands of the Australians who are no novices when it comes to exploiting the slightest weakness in an opponent.

With 276 wickets in 61 Tests and the tag of being the country's No 1 strike bowler in the last decade, the 30-year-old Karnataka leg spinner has been way ahead of his contemporaries. Never in the history of Indian cricket has the disparity between one bowler and his colleagues been so wide. The next best, Venkatapathi Raju, has 92 wickets from 27 Tests. With the main bowler out of action with an injured shoulder, it is but natural for the selectors to scout around in a bid to close the gap. So for the list of 25 probables, the selectors named seven spin bowlers. On the face of it, there was enough variety. Four left arm spinners - Raju, Rahul Sanghvi, Murali Kartik and Sunil Joshi, two off spinners - Harbhajan Singh and Sharandeep Singh - and one leg spinner in WD Balaji Rao were named. On the face of it, the list looked good enough from which a suitable replacement could be found. On closer scrutiny however, it can be observed that while there is some talent in that bunch, experience is sadly lacking.

Now however comes the news that the selectors have added two more leg spinners - Narendra Hirwani and Sairaj Bahutule - for the second phase of the camp to be held at Chennai from February 16. Of course they will have time only till February 19 since the team for the first Test against Australia is to be announced on that day. But the selectors will also announce the Board President's XI to play the tourists in a three day game at New Delhi in between the first and second Tests. One supposes some of the spin bowlers not picked in the team for the first Test will play in the Delhi game.

Seven spinners itself is a bowler too many. What can one say when the figure swells to nine? Obviously the selectors are worried about what they have seen at the camp so far. The spin bowlers, with the exception of Raju and to a certain extent Joshi, are all young and inexperienced. They earned a place in the probables list, first because they performed well in the Ranji and Duleep Trophy tournaments and secondly, because the selectors wanted to spread the net wide to unearth a suitable replacement for Kumble. Evidently, the lack of variety and penetration among the bowlers has caused the selectors to add to the list Hirwani and Bahutule, both of whom have already played for the country.

Hirwani is currently in his 33rd year. He made a sensational debut against West Indies at Madras in January 1988, when with a haul of 16 for 136, he set a world record. Since then he has been in and out of the Indian squad and last played for the country against South Africa at Calcutta in 1996. A bag of 66 wickets from 17 Tests at an average of 30 is a little disappointing after that remarkable debut performance. But he has forced the selectors to take notice thanks to his consistent showing around the domestic circuit. Only last season, he joined the select band of bowlers who had taken over 300 wickets in the Ranji Trophy.

Bahutule, who turned 28 last month, has played in seven ODIs, the last of them three years ago. His overall figures of two wickets from 46 overs at an average of 129.50 are most unimpressive for a specialist spin bowler - though he himself rather fancies himself as an all rounder. In his case too he has bowled himself back into the reckoning because of performances in the domestic circuit, including 16 wickets for West Zone in the Duleep Trophy tournament. This haul included a hat-trick.

From what one has gathered after several visits to the camp and talking to the chairman of the selection committee Chandu Borde and ICC umpire S Venkatraghavan, the two, who know a bit about spin bowling, were rather unimpressed by the spinners on view.

Borde, who took 52 Test wickets with his leg spinners till a shoulder injury forced him to concentrate on his batting, is quoted as saying that "None of the spinners are giving air to the ball and are bowling very flat." Venkataraghavan, a member of the famed spin quartet who took 156 wickets in 57 Tests, is said to be disillusioned by what he saw for a couple of days at the camp. "I am not happy with the way our spinners are bowling," Venkataraghavan is quoted to have said. After working with both Sarandeep and Harbhajan, Venkat reportedly commented that "They are not willing to maintain a rhythm and bowl each ball differently. Our spinners were unable to turn the ball as much as Sachin Tendulkar does at the nets."

So at the moment, it does look like whether there are seven spin bowling probables or nine, whether they play two or three spinners in the playing eleven, the Indians will face problems in bowling the mighty Australians out twice in the Test series. Unless, Srinath and company spring a surprise!