The short-ball blues
Barry Richards says Sourav Ganguly's biggest problem is in his head
Barry Richards
14-Nov-2005
With the amount of cricket played these days, any shortcoming of a player soon becomes well known to everyone in the game. Sourav Ganguly has always been a great striker of the ball but is not renowned for his ability or courage against short-pitched bowling. It may only be a perception, but perception influences reality, and the more it is said, the more it is believed. You just get the feeling that Sourav himself is starting to believe it. It's not beyond him to conquer the weakness, and he could perhaps consider these suggestions:
Mask the discomfort
Sourav has the ability to avoid bouncers, and indeed, on slow tracks to effectively hook them away. But his obvious dislike for the short-pitched stuff makes him a target for the good bowlers and sometimes even ordinary ones. His attitude to short bowling is a dead giveaway; even in one-day games he looks incredulously at the umpires if they don't immediately signal a no-ball. Bowlers are quick to pick up on things like this. Mental toughness is an integral part of success at the international level - Steve Waugh is the perfect example. He hops all over the place against the short stuff, but when bowlers try to intimidate him with mid-pitch stares, he merely out-stares them. If you hold your nerve, the bowler has to eventually turn around and go back to his mark. That's a good starting point for Sourav.
Sourav has the ability to avoid bouncers, and indeed, on slow tracks to effectively hook them away. But his obvious dislike for the short-pitched stuff makes him a target for the good bowlers and sometimes even ordinary ones. His attitude to short bowling is a dead giveaway; even in one-day games he looks incredulously at the umpires if they don't immediately signal a no-ball. Bowlers are quick to pick up on things like this. Mental toughness is an integral part of success at the international level - Steve Waugh is the perfect example. He hops all over the place against the short stuff, but when bowlers try to intimidate him with mid-pitch stares, he merely out-stares them. If you hold your nerve, the bowler has to eventually turn around and go back to his mark. That's a good starting point for Sourav.
Don't try to hit away the problem
Sourav sometimes tends to go on an all-out attack when unsettled by the short ball. Trying to hit a shot off every ball is not the recipe for success against international bowlers. It might sometimes provide him with temporary relief, but ultimately it is a combination of a strong mind and effective practice that will put the demons to rest.
Sourav sometimes tends to go on an all-out attack when unsettled by the short ball. Trying to hit a shot off every ball is not the recipe for success against international bowlers. It might sometimes provide him with temporary relief, but ultimately it is a combination of a strong mind and effective practice that will put the demons to rest.
Get inside and under
His technique is not helped by the slow pitches that are prepared in India. (No wonder there are no quick bowlers!) The bounce is so low that players tend to try and 'ride' the ball (rise with the delivery) and play it to the ground with a dead bat. It is a fair enough tactic in the subcontinent but to succeed on bouncier pitches - and no-one can be regarded as great until they have succeeded in both South Africa and Australia - you have to adopt a different technique. The bounce is steeper and quicker, therefore it is imperative to get both inside the ball as well as under it if you decide not to hook. Riding the ball will merely get you into trouble.
His technique is not helped by the slow pitches that are prepared in India. (No wonder there are no quick bowlers!) The bounce is so low that players tend to try and 'ride' the ball (rise with the delivery) and play it to the ground with a dead bat. It is a fair enough tactic in the subcontinent but to succeed on bouncier pitches - and no-one can be regarded as great until they have succeeded in both South Africa and Australia - you have to adopt a different technique. The bounce is steeper and quicker, therefore it is imperative to get both inside the ball as well as under it if you decide not to hook. Riding the ball will merely get you into trouble.
Make a commitment
Sourav's problem is in his mind. It's up to him to scale the heights that his ability demands. It means eating some humble pie and conceding that it's an area that needs addressing - not something that comes easily to Sourav. The next few years will determine if he is indeed the Prince of Kolkata, or merely a good player who was unable to overcome a serious shortcoming. He alone can provide the answer.
Sourav's problem is in his mind. It's up to him to scale the heights that his ability demands. It means eating some humble pie and conceding that it's an area that needs addressing - not something that comes easily to Sourav. The next few years will determine if he is indeed the Prince of Kolkata, or merely a good player who was unable to overcome a serious shortcoming. He alone can provide the answer.