Andrew Strauss, during the 2006-07 Ashes, tried re-inventing his game to fill the void left behind by the absence of Marcus Trescothick.
And in the process, he ended up playing too many shots too soon - a series average of 24.7 with a top score of 50 is proof.
I was reminded of this watching Gautam Gambhir during the T20 World Cup and during the two matches of the current West Indies tour.
Vide his trying to open the face of the bat and run the ball down to third man - a shot he had completely shunned during his purple patch in 2008.
Gambhir has more strokes than most if he chooses to take his time at the crease. But, in the absence of Sehwag, it looks as if he has decided to eschew his natural game and don Sehwag's role.
Problem is, Gambhir is not Sehwag. And by trying to play like him, Gambhir is digging a rather large hole for himself.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Doing a Strauss?
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9 comments:
In Sehwag's absence, he should play with that bat signed by Sehwag for him. Whatever gets you thru the night!
Fair comment. GG (like Rohit Sharma) was trying to overreach himself. In Gambhir's case, I believe he has discovered his strengths as a batsman and only needs to rest his body and mind for the clarity to be back.
Not sure if he had shunned the steer to third man in 2008 though. Looked to me like it was his 'get away from strike shot' on occasions.
lol NC :)
Cheers,
Late Inswing,
Sharma's problem is of temperament and consistency. He has the ability but throws it all away way too often, as evidenced in his time with Mumbai.
Also, in 2008, the steer to third mn was being played later in the innings , after he had his eye in. Nowadays, that seems to be the first shot to be played.
Cheers,
But isn't GG getting out often to short-pitched bowling of late ?
Kumar Narsimha,
True, he has been getting out to short pitched bowling. And this is happening early in his innings.
Too many shots too early?
Thanks for your comments and welcome to the blog.
Cheers,
I see a lot of players in their borrowed plume, shunning natural game and trying to impress as a match-winner. Gambhir, Rohit are two obvious instances and at the other end of the scale is MSD. A match-winner trying to emerge as a finishing and going nowhere in the process.
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very true Som although Rohit is just being Rohit.
Cheers,
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