Karn Sharma had a forgettable debut at Adelaide Oval, successfully breaking dubious records (and coming close to breaking a few more) for conceding most runs on Test debut. However, the other spin options India have are no world-beaters either. Abhishek Mukherjee ponders.
There have been confusions regarding Karn Sharma’s inclusion in the squad in the first place. Though he had been picked almost out of the blue, most would have expected Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja as the frontline spinner at Adelaide Oval. Thus, when the Indians woke up at five in the morning to see Virat Kohli announce the team, they were probably astounded to learn that Karn had been included.
One should blame the selection more than poor Karn, who was obviously not prepared for a debut against Australia at the highest level. He marginally missed out on being the first Indian (and eighth bowler) to concede 100 runs in each innings on Test debut, and is fifth on the list (“topper” among Indians) of most runs conceded in a Test on debut.
[read-also] 223165[/read-also]
But really, what options did Kohli have? Ashwin? Jadeja? Someone else? Were they really better options? Have they really done anything of note overseas? Let us find out how Indian spinners have done overseas over the past five years:
Overseas performances of Indian spinners in past five years (barring in Zimbabwe and Bangladesh)
Players
M
W
Ave
SR
Econ
Harbhajan Singh
8
30
43.80
84.0
3.13
Ravindra Jadeja
7
18
46.17
102.4
2.70
Ravichandran Ashwin
6
12
64.50
122.8
3.15
Amit Mishra
3
11
56.36
91.2
3.71
Pragyan Ojha
8
8
64.38
123.0
3.14
Virender Sehwag
12
8
43.75
80.5
3.26
Suresh Raina
10
7
58.29
90.4
3.87
Karn Sharma
1
4
59.50
73.5
4.86
Rohit Sharma
6
2
93.50
158.0
3.55
Sachin Tendulkar
14
1
94.00
114.0
4.95
Murali Vijay
16
1
91.00
180.0
3.03
Yuvraj Singh
2
1
52.00
72.0
4.33
Total
103
53.37
98.2
3.26
Specialists*
83
51.71
97.8
3.17
* Harbhajan, Jadeja, Ashwin, Mishra, Ojha, and Karn
Every single Indian spinner averages on the wrong side of 40. There is not a single exception. In fact, Virender Sehwag has a better bowling average than others. As a result the overall average shoots up to over 50. Even if we take the part-timers away (though Sehwag has done better than all of them) the average improves only marginally.
How have the other teams featured in the same time-span? Let us see.
Overseas performances of all spinners in past five overs (barring in Zimbabwe and Bangladesh)
Team
Bowlers
W
Ave
SR
Econ
Pakistan
16
126
33.38
70.8
2.83
England
9
116
38.04
77.5
2.94
Australia
14
103
39.28
73.5
3.21
Sri Lanka
7
43
40.93
83.7
2.94
New Zealand
9
70
44.16
81.8
3.24
West Indies
16
65
44.42
80.7
3.30
India
18
103
53.37
98.2
3.26
Zimbabwe
9
8
54.13
87.8
3.70
South Africa
11
47
55.79
95.5
3.51
Bangladesh
12
38
59.61
106.1
3.37
That is certainly not good news. Of major sides, only South Africans have a worse average; and even their spinners take wickets more frequently (one every 95.5 balls compared to India’s 98.2). New Zealand and West Indies, who are traditionally not homelands for spinners, have done better than Indians.
Let us now do a check for fast bowlers.
Overseas performances of all fast bowlers in past five overs (barring in Zimbabwe and Bangladesh)
Team
Bowlers
W
Ave
SR
Econ
South Africa
10
203
27.78
54.2
3.08
Australia
19
275
29.99
61.4
2.93
New Zealand
16
175
32.87
62.4
3.16
Pakistan
15
156
33.95
61.3
3.32
England
14
233
34.21
63.8
3.21
India
18
252
41.56
70.1
3.56
Zimbabwe
8
17
42.12
75.2
3.36
West Indies
14
98
44.45
71.4
3.74
Sri Lanka
13
89
49.61
78.5
3.79
Bangladesh
7
34
61.00
97.2
3.77
This is nowhere impressive (though 41 is a better figure than 53), but at least India are above two major teams (though the chasm with the top five is substantially high). But where do Indian pacers stand in comparison with their spinners? Let us compare the spin vs pace performances of all teams.
Comparative study: Spin vs pace overseas performances in past five years (barring in Zimbabwe and Bangladesh)
Team
Pace
Spin
Ave (Pace-Spin)
SR (Pace-Spin)
Ave
SR
Ave
SR
South Africa
27.78
54.2
55.79
95.5
-28.00
-41.3
Zimbabwe
42.12
75.2
54.13
87.8
-12.01
-12.6
India
41.56
70.1
53.37
98.2
-11.81
-28.1
New Zealand
32.87
62.4
44.16
81.8
-11.29
-19.4
Australia
29.99
61.4
39.28
73.5
-9.29
-12.1
England
34.21
63.8
38.04
77.5
-3.84
-13.7
West Indies
44.45
71.4
44.42
80.7
0.03
-9.4
Pakistan
33.95
61.3
33.38
70.8
0.57
-9.5
Bangladesh
61.00
97.2
59.61
106.1
1.39
-8.9
Sri Lanka
49.61
78.5
40.93
83.7
8.68
-5.2
It is a no-brainer. Even if the differences in averages are ignored, the differences in strike rates are humongous. Indian pacers take a wicket every 70 balls whereas the spinners do in 98. The difference is next to only South Africa’s, and there are no pretentions about their ability to produce quality pacers and inability to produce quality spinners.
It should be an obvious decision for the Indian team management. They should go in with four fast bowlers. If there is any doubt, let us look at the pace vs spin comparisons at The Gabba.
Comparative study: Spin vs pace overseas performances at The Gabba
Team
Pace
Spin
Ave
SR
Ave
SR
All
29.93
63.1
38.53
92.6
Overseas bowlers
36.56
72.2
52.60
120.3
Past 5 years
39.27
74.3
46.48
88.1
Overseas bowlers, past 5 years
47.14
81.7
87.71
154.2
There is no comparison. The numbers do not even come close. The Brisbane “sticky dog” may have favoured spinners in the era of uncovered wickets, but of late spinners have not done anything of note at The Gabba. There is absolutely no reason for India to include a spinner in the side.
(Abhishek Mukherjee is the Chief Editor and Cricket Historian at CricketCountry. He blogs here and can be followed on Twitter here)
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.