Warner’s form Under the Radar

Agitated, Frustrated, Dis-interested and Ignorant are words that could be used to describe David Warner’s tour of India.  For Warner along with the other “W”, Watson it has been their worst tour in the baggy green.  But while Watson has had to walk on fire he has deviated the attention off the Matraville mauler.  

Warner has been a protected species on the tour while the like of Cowan and Hughes have been made the scapegoats. Warner’s opening partner, Ed Cowan, is constantly under scrutiny and it is largely due to his style of his batting.  Phil Hughes first two tests were diabolical to say the least but along with another new comer, Steve Smith, both probably looked the most at ease on the Delhi minefield. Perhaps if we had got a decent pitch in Delhi both could well have got a big score. Performance analyst, Dene Hills, would have seen their graphs going upwards while Warner line would have been declining towards the X-Axis.

Unlike Cowan, Warner’s belligerent batting brings the crowd through the gates but he’s dismissals in the last couple of Tests was an early indication selectors need to make him accountable for his over ambitious stroke play.  It should be pointed out since the start of the Australian summer last year, Cowan and Warner runs are almost identical [615 to 634]. While Cowan keeps living on the sword, Warner last few innings suggested in a way, he is walk in in this team.  Perhaps Warner and Watson need a different style of “homework”.

Or it was just a learning curve, conservative approach or just a small indication Warner is long way off the mark in all ways.  Sehwag was the first to suggest to Warner, he could transform into a Test opener and keep his attacking mindset. Watching Warner from the stands this series it seems he was advised on a conservative approach on his own part or it has come from the list of coaching guru’s inside the team. It is evident the way the way he scratched around Warner was trying to differ from his natural game. No doubt the conditions were alien but did Sehwag ever play defensively on a rank turner or a green seamer?

Ed Cowan also believed before the tour he needed to attack the spinners but as the tour went on he learnt to stick to his strengths. Warner finally came to his senses in the 2^nd innings of the 3^rd Test.  It was perhaps an innings too late. Even MS Dhoni at the conclusion of the 3^rd test stated “If Australia had attacked our bowlers in the first session I probably would have run out of ideas, since it was a wicket best suited for batting”.

By the time the Warner had shown aggressive intent, it was a little too late. Quick runs weren’t an objective in Mohali and the Delhi pitch was a Bunsen. It looks even worse when Warner was dismissed off a quick bowler on a spinner’s paradise.  It showed his mind was in a disorder and thus came the agitation on the field.

Warner’s behaviour on the field is attributed to his frustration with the bat.  Similar to his batting, the hostility of his words were poorly timed. It was further evidence Warner’s mind was in chaos. It is no secret Australia play their best cricket when their aggressive and Warner is their ace, so it has been extremely disappointment to see him play with a defensive mindset.

The 2^nd innings in Delhi was also a perfect opportunity, even aggressive 30 could have sent the Indians on the back foot but he instead chose to graft an innings and paid a hefty price.

As the saying goes, the score book has no space to record how you score the runs but only states the number of runs scored. At least Cowan has put a price on his wicket and along with Hughes takes strides to improving his batsmen ship, it’s a shame same cannot be said about Warner on this tour.

Is David Warner as good as we all perceiver to be? Maybe the IPL won’t be a bad thing for him overall.  Australia needs the Warner that believes, backs his aggression and values the baggy green ever further after the nightmare tour of India.

Pujara credits Domestic cricket for his success.

Ravi Ashwin might have pipped the man of the series honours but it was the man that guided India to a whitewash that has been the stand out player for this series. 

Chesterwar Pujara, finished the series with 419 runs at average of 83.30. More than stats it was the mannerism and timing of his innings that ensured the future of Indian cricket is bright.

Pujara credited his success to playing countless domestic matches “Ever since my debut for Saurasthra I have played on so many turning tracks I feel comfortable and I know which shot to execute.  I feel all the hard work I have done on my game in the domestic schedule has played a huge role in my batting form in this series”.

The Indian number 3 also dismissed comparisons between himself and Rahul Dravid. “He has proved himself across the world I am still a long way away”.  When asked about opening the batting the man from Rajkot said “I’ve opened through junior cricket and even the times in ODI domestic cricket, so I don’t view it any different to batting at number 3”.

Pujara hails from cricketing background and it is the knowledge passed on through the generations that he credits for where he is today. “My Grandfather played high level of cricket and he motivated my father to play the game. I recall their conversations when I was young and it’s perhaps how I became fascinated about the game so early in my life”.

Senior Pujara ended playing Ranji trophy for Saurasthra but could never don an Indian cap but he has and still remains son Cheteshwar’s primary coach. “My father still coaches me now and I spoke to him couple of times during the series about certain aspects of my batting”.

It was only when Pujara realised the effort required to bowl that he decided to give his hand at batting. “Yes, I started as a leg spinner but from 10-11yrs of age, I thought batting is so much easier and I wanted to be a batsmen”

On playing against Australia, Pujara said he had prepared with countless hours at the nets facing the reverse swing before the series.  But once the series got under away he had stayed away from the nets. “I knew I have prepared well and when you bat in the middle for so long, you don’t have time to bat in the nets [laughs].

Pujara has definitely filled the position vacated by Dravid in the home season in India. Over the next year he will face the challenges in South Africa and New Zealand, given his hunger and the class he has displayed against Australia only success awaits.

Watson defers from Clarke’s strategies with Success

Shane Watson might not have been able to display a mixture of aggression and defense in his batting this series, but he’s captaincy certainly had a nice mix to it. 

While Michael Clarke has been content to attack even at situations when the game has drifted Watson approach of combining attacking and defensive fields certainly constrained the Indians.

Watson approach illustrates his ODI mindset cooperated with Australia’s aggressive mentality.  The field placements are those of any modern day captain, a deep point as early as the 5^th over, long on back on the fence before Lyon bowled even a ball, two men out on the leg side boundary looks obnoxious but it is often the modern field that batsmen struggle to score against fluently.  Modern day cricket especially in the sub-continent, is about restricting and Watson given his IPL and ODI exposure in India was quick to adopt the approach.

The Indians got off to an aggressive start but unlike Clarke he protected the boundaries. The third man is such a productive area of scoring on slow wicket and Watson immediately employed one after a couple of edges went through that area. It was a wise move and a change Clarke had resisted so far in the first three tests.

It ensured India scoring rate was controlled and once Watson achieved this he brought on his most lethal bowler, Nathan Lyon, on a spinner’s paradise.  He assured his spinner would not be milked for runs by offering an in-out field all day.  Lyon responded brilliantly ending with his best figures on tour 5/94.

If there has been any criticism of Clarke, he has waited for Indians to loft the spinners before dispersion the field, Watson on the contrast cut down the value of strokes by pushing men on the outfield. Simultaneously, he also attacked with 3 or 4 close in fielders. It was a balance Alastair Cook had applied successfully in England’s triumph over India late last year.  

Apart from the varied field setting Watson was also successful in bringing back the Australian aggression. In the series so far, there has been so little banter and the likes of Pattinson and Siddle had yet to even whisper at the opposition.  Siddle, Pattinson and Johnson finally breathed some fire into the opposition by bowling short at their bodies followed by verbal barrages. Watson also backed them up by providing them with a short leg, leg gully and the license to attack. 

Given Clarke has had bowlers capable of bowling in excess of 145km/h at his disposal and has yielded away from such tactics illustrates seems bizarre.  

Watson style of captaincy is suited to Indian conditions because he looks to restrict the number of runs first and then concentrates on wickets.  It might seem as defensive but it tight tactic in India. Even MS Dhoni has used similar fields despite being in control of matches.  

Watson certainly has been assisted by a “minefield” of a pitch but he has deferred from Clarke tactics. Considering this is Australia’s best chance of winning a test in this series, Watson the captain deserves some credit.