Pathan: Most Promising Young Bowler?

[Vrock]

Pathan is a good addition to the India side in the sense he offers with the bat as well as his bowling. I do think he needs to get some more pace and really improve his bowling so he can take wickets.

[Colourful Chaddi]

Should we really count Pathan's bowling performances on this tour? Just look at the wickets on this tour, all the bowlers have been taken a beating from the batsmen. Im not sure many bowlers would have success on this picth both spinners and seamers stuggled getting wickets and keeping the runs down. Nearly all the wickets that have fell are down to the batsmen fault not because of the bowling, I think it is fair to say even the great Dennis Lillile would have struggled to get wickets on this track, so any judgment on Pathans bowling should not be taken on this track.

I have been quite impressed with Pathans performances recently especially his batting, he avearges around 47 with the bat from his last 7 test matches, that is a big improvement and is higher than most batsmen in his team. His bowling is not as bad as you poeple have made it out to be. His performaces against Sri Lanka were very good, he used his swing and off-cutter very wisely.

I know his performances with the ball have not been the same as we had thought but what are we expecting from him, he is no Wasim Akram like many poeple have been saying, in time I am sure Pathan will improve to be the bowler we all want him to be. He is one of the few Indian player which tries so hard in training, his improvement in his batting show how much effort he has out into his cricket.

We will just have to wait and see how Pathan will turn out, remember Flintoff took many years to be the player he is now. But mark my words he will diffinatly be one of the greatest India has produced.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by Waseem

I know his performances with the ball have not been the same as we had thought but what are we expecting from him, he is no Wasim Akram like many people have been saying, in time I am sure Pathan will improve to be the bowler we all want him to be. He is one of the few Indian player which tries so hard in training, his improvement in his batting show how much effort he has out into his cricket..

My problem is that many Indian fans think he is the finished article (hence why he has been, unfairly at this stage, compared with Wasim) and as far as his bowling goes he isn't there yet. I do hope he does reach his potential.

As for comparisons on Flintoff, yes I agree - the problem is that Flintoff was not the opening bowler and even now is not the senior seam bowler in the team. The fact is that with the selectors unable to decided between Khan, Agakar and Balk it means that Pathan takes a huge amount of responsibility, I am sure this pressure is not helping to develop him.

[DomainK]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

My problem is that many Indian fans think he is the finished article

No one thinks that he is a finished article. We all say that he is a fresher and he is yet to learn many things, We are excited about a new young talent.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by DomainK

No one thinks that he is a finished article. .

True, but lets go back to the title of the thread

"Pathan: Most Promising Young Bowler" all I have consistently argued is that he is a promising, but he does not stand out enough for anyone to claim he is the "most" promising

[DomainK]

9 pages of discussion shows that there is something in the lad. He is drawing everyones attention here. Pathan is a very interesting prospect for the Indian team. I will go on to say that he will emerge as one of the most exciting all rounder and thats my my opinion only.

How did Pathan become so popular in India? A young man emerges in a team not so well known for producing good pace bowlers. After some good performances he tours Australia and troubles them on their home pitch. Then he travels Pakistan and troubles the Pakistani abtsmen on their home pitch. Isnt that good enough reason to assume that a very talented young bowler is in the team? How many bowlers of his age can trouble the Australians in Autralia and Pakistan in Pakistan? Pathan deserved the popularity he got in India.

Then one day Wasim Akram, the best leftarm bowler the world ever produced shows interest in him, says that he is a very good bowler and that he reminds him of his young days. He expresses desire to coach him. No one understands left arm bowling better than Akram and surely he was not bluffing at that time.

Then one day the young man loses his main weapon, the out swinger for a couple of series and some people, who was watching silently so far stand up as if they all were waiting for an excuse, and point out that he is worthless.

Its amazing how people get into negative criticism so easily.Very few say that he is an exciting young prospect here, but they prefer to say that see, he is not getting wickets any more. Pathan worked hard at his bowling and looked in good touch in the series with Sri Lanka just to find some really bad pitches in Pakistan which could see the best bowlers in the world struggle. Its time for him to grow and learn, dont expect him to take wickets on pitches where even Shoaib Akhtar fails.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by DomainK

How many bowlers of his age can trouble the Australians in Australia .

when did he trouble the Australians in Australia?

I would hardly call 4 wickets in two tests at an average of 66.50 something to write home about!!

This is the thing Pathan has done nothing of any note against any major team. He has 6 5 wicket hauls against minnows, but has not managed one against any other team

Originally Posted by DomainK

Then one day the young man loses his main weapon, the out swinger for a couple of series and some people, who was watching silently so far stand up as if they all were waiting for an excuse, and point out that he is worthless..

I have not been silent I have been arguing this for ages!! But please read my posts properly, I have never said he worthless, what I have said is this - the thread title is "Pathan: Most Promising Young Bowler?"

1. I think he is a prospect
2. I do not think he is "The most promising"

This does not mean I feel he is worthless, what I do feel is that the hype that comes from some Indian fans does not match the reality of his performances!!

[Colourful Chaddi]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

I would hardly call 4 wickets in two tests at an average of 66.50 something to write home about!!

I think you didn't watch Pathan bowl in that series, the figures don't tell the real story FF. What appealed to me most was the way he bowled, the in-dippers he bowled to the Australians batsmen were breath-taking, i hadn't seen those banana in-swingers since the days of Wasim & Waqar. This is the reason most people were prasing this young lad they knew that someone with talent could only do what he did.

Ofcourse he hasn't used the in-dipper to the same effect as Wasim or Waqar because he is still young and in-experianced. If he has help from Wasim again im sure he can start taking the 5fers against the top nations. Pathan has the weapons in his armoury he justs needs to learn when to use them and only experiace can teach him that.

[DomainK]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

But please read my posts properly, I have never said he worthless, what I have said is this - the thread title is "Pathan: Most Promising Young Bowler?"

Of course you have stated it in your posts through out the thread and I have noticed it. My post was not a personal reply to your opinion.

[greg]

Well since i defended him last year he has played 5 games and got 9 wkts at an average of 55.Hardly the figures of the brightest young prospect in world cricket.Hope he learns from these setbacks.