Expected top 5 wicket-takers Border-Gavaskar Trophy (Part 1)
The ongoing two Test series is underway and the visiting Australians won the toss and elected to bat in the 1st Test at Mohali, Chandigarh. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 and Australia are playing for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2010.
After the close of day one’s play, the Australian’s were 224 for 5, as Indian pace bowler Zaheer Khan took 3 for 45 from his 16 overs bowled. Harbhajan Singh took the important wicket of Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120, as the visiting skipper Ricky Ponting got run out when Suresh Raina hit the bails.
The list of the top 5 wicket-takers from the two Test match series is prepared on the overall performances of the two team’s bowlers and their recent encounters against each other. Their performances in Test cricket and against each other, is evaluated in terms of wickets taken and bowling averages. The lists of the expected top 5 wicket-takers include Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ishant-Sharma-c64566.
The current Test series is more than simply winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Indians are playing to defend their status of being the No. 1 Test team of the cricketing fraternity. On the contrary, the Aussie’s are playing to regain their lost Test glory, and if they lose yet another series against the Indian team, they will drop to the No. 5 test team by the ICC.
One should keep in mind that in the last meet-up of India and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, Indian won the Test series 2-0 in 2008. India’s victory in 2008 will be playing on the minds of the visiting Aussies.
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh, who started his Test career against the Australian team in 1998, has managed to maintain an impressive record against them. Singh’s lack of loop and flight in the ball turned out to be very productive for the Indian spinner, as his ability to vary his length and pace is something feared by several world-class batsmen.
Above all, his ability to turn the ball either ways is troubling as the bowling action stays the same, but the conventional off-spin doesn’t.
The World-class Indian spinner has a massive collection of 357 wickets from 85 Test matches. He has also maintained an impressive bowling average of 31.62. His best figure of 8 for 84 does speak of the talent he possesses. With 24 five wicket hauls and 5 ten wickets hauls, at an outstanding strike rate of 67.0, he is surely a candidate to become the highest wicket-taker in the series.
In the last 15 Test matches he has played against Australia, the off-spinner has taken 80 wickets. His best of 8 for 84 came against the Aussies, as his best against them in a Test match is 15 for 217. With an impressive bowling average of 29.32, and an economy rate of 3.02, Singh will surely be looking to strike at regular intervals. On an average he has taken a wicket after every 58.2 runs given by him against the Australian batting line up.
Singh is one of the reasons for India’s recent success in the longer version of the game, and like always he is one of those players who rise up to the occasion. He can raise the level of his game in accordance to the playing conditions and expectations. His recent performance against the visitors has been beyond brilliant.
Zaheer Khan
The left arm Indian pace-man by the end of play on the first day has taken 3 for 45. Zaheer Khan is developing into a fine strike frontline bowler for his side. He is also the reason alongside fellow team-mate Harbhajan Singh for the success of the Indian team in all formats of the game, especially, Test cricket. (To be continued...Part 2)
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