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The first Test between India and New Zealand at Eden Park has proven my theory right – that every Test team should have a quality spinner.
MS Dhoni decided to select Ravindra Jadeja ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin, a plan that I believe has backfired.
Jadeja, who is simply a standard off-break, part-time, one-day bowler, could only manage to get one wicket in 26 overs. India missed an opportunity which New Zealand ceased.
When New Zealand came out to bowl, young leg spinner Ish Sodhi had a crack before tea; there was plenty of turn and extreme bounce, something Ashwin would have utilised a lot more than Jadeja.
As a cricketer, I would much rather face a bowler who can only turn the ball one way. Time spent batting is made so much easier when you don’t have to worry about anything out of the ordinary.
Ashwin didn’t have the greatest ODI series but I still feel he would have done a better job than a part-timer. He has variation and batsman have to concentrate really hard to pick his knuckle ball, which puts doubt in the batsman’s mind.
This brings me to Australia’s tour of South Africa, and my feeling that both teams are missing something.
Neither Australia nor South Africa really have a spinner that can turn the ball both ways, and there will most likely only be one good pitch for fast bowlers in this series.
On top of that, both spinners are fairly similar in quality, with only one difference – the way the ball spins.
If I were a betting man I would say that this is going to be a very high-scoring test series. Early wickets will be key because after the first session in a day’s play batters will be calling the shots, and both spinners will be under the pump with opposition coaches targeting the spin option.
If either side had a spinner who could turn a match in a matter of overs this could be one of the best series in recent years, but unfortunately it will be the seam bowlers who will have to dominate from ball one or there will be plenty of centuries on offer.
During the Big Bash League I came across a very good young leg spinner called James Muirhead. Give this talented guy a season in Sheffield Shield cricket and he will be the next big thing.
I have never seen him fail to turn the ball, whether it is early on or late in the innings. He’s got great control and if Shane Warne works with him I think Australia could have the best attack in world cricket.
South Africa have no leg spinner or any unorthodox bowlers coming through. We saw Imran Tahir over in Australia, who didn’t have much control – I think the jump to international cricket is just a bit too much for him.
Given the dynamic of skill in the teams I predict a 1-1 series with the second test in Port Elizabeth the drawn test, as that wicket is pretty flat and doesn’t have much pace or bounce.
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