Since Rafiq left the international scene Shakib has quite seamlessly transitioned into the number one spinner in the country. Razzak has been tried and then branded as a one day specialist and Mosharraf seems to be out of the radar following his ICL exodus. Enamul has played sporadically and he is the closest we have to a specialist spin bowling option. With the management clamoring for diversity in bowling options and team balance we have resorted to a more or less one specialist spinner in test matches. Would either Naeem or Riyad make it to the starting elevens in their club teams as specialist bowlers? I am highly doubtful.
Over the last couple of seasons a few others have emerged as possible contenders for a second spinner slot. Almost all of them, are left arm finger spinners and the selectors have been wary of bringing any of them on board. While two specialist spinners might be a defensive option against India, against England it's an absolute necessity. So, in order to make a clear eyed analysis, lets compare the first class statistics of the contenders Enamul, Razzak, Shuvo, Nabil and Sajib. I included Shakib and Rafique in the list to see how these contenders records stack up against our number one spinner both current and past. If we continue our ploy of playing 8 batsmen, Riyad and Naeem are in effect our second spinners. So, its only fair that we include them in the equation too. Who do you think deserves a shot?
January 23, 2010, 08:53 PM
Second Specialist Spinner
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