Are Indian Batsmen really good players of spin bowling anymore?

Question

Kudos to Mendis for revitalizing the Spin Bowling in World Cricket! With the world turning it's head to T20 events, it seemed like quality spin bowlers will soon become obsolete. But, Mendis has shown, what a spin bowler with Guile and Accuracy can do! An in-form Indian side is looking terribly out-of-sorts and the reason being failure to Bat against Mendis show. I wonder if Indian batsmen are still good players of spin bowling. I mean we have struggled against all great spin bowlers barring leg spinners like Shane Warne, and McGill. (Remember 54 all out against Murali, loss to South Africa at Home against Boje, Saqlain Mushtaq also played well against India etc) What's your take on this?

Answer 1

no

Answer 2

Experienced batsmen might have survived well, than this YOUNGSTERS IN ODI too,There is no doubt that the Indian batsmen have no clue to deal with Mendis and Murali duo. Their body language says it all. Look at Yuvi. In yesterday's game he played just 4 balls of Mendis . Had no idea of the first 2, hit a six of the third out of desperation and got bowled of the fourth ball.

~Less we talk about Dhoni the better. Indian team is really jinxed by the Lankan spinners. Real humiliation is key players are getting clean bowled !!! If they continue to bat like this, results will continue to be the same and we will see a miserable 5-0 defeat. It is high time key players like Gambhir, Yuvraj and Dhoni work out a game plan to deal with the Lankan attack, especially 20 overs of Mendis & Murali and be really positive in their approach to put up a defend able total. Gambhir is the only player other than Sehwag in this team who played the spinners well in test matches. It may be a good idea to push him down the order to deal with the spinners and allow the likes of Pathan, or even Yuvraj to open, use long handle with the new ball and take advantage of power plays.

They should definitely recall players like Yusuf Pathan or Robin Uthappa in the place of Sehwag for the third game . Time is running out.. Dhoni act fast.. any ways still when facing M&M it will be the difference, its easy said than DONEso,.... still i think SL has upper hand~

cheers

Answer 3

I think Ajantha Mendis (like Muttiah Muralitharan) is just a one of a kind bowler.

I dont actually believe India have suddenly started playing weak against spin, just look at the 2 series before the Sri Lanka series.

Bradley Hodge played 2 test matches against India Bowling average 84. and only 4 wickets in 5 games against India in the CB series

Paul Harris played 3 test matches against India- Bowling average 51

As you can see from the stats, India's batsmen played the "mediocare" spinners easily, both spinners had no impact in any of the 5 test matches played.

My point is that Mendis is "One of a kind" all teams around the world will struggle, there has never been a bowler like him, he spins the ball both ways, he has 9 different type of deliveries, he at times is just unplayable. Ajantha Mendis will dominate world cricket for a few years, until batsmen finally start to work him out.

So to some up, India are still strong against spin, its just Mendis is that good, plus Murali at the other end is dangerous too

Answer 4

Only VVS is a great player of spin, but he's never in ODI's. Which is a shame because he can score fluently and quickly by playing properly.