sohummisra said:
You don't necessarily really need to turn the ball like a beast to get wickets. You also need to be able to strategize, patiently, and think the batsmen out. One prime example--Anil Kumble, who is quickly honing in on 500 wickets.
Spot on! Just have a look at the Shane Warne MasterClass, if you can find it, where he says how instead of trying to aim to a target on the pitch, he imagines what shot he wants the batsman to play. Another thing from this is that spin is often irrelevant, you have to beat the batsman in flight. A traditional spinner generally uses loop and drift, someone like Kumble uses pace and sheer accuracy to keep the batsman on his toes.
Secondly, you don't need a doosra! Saqlain Mustaq's development of the doosra arguably helped kill his career. Initially it was amazing, but soon enough, batsmen knew how to pick it and he seemed to have forgotten his other abilities.
Obviously though, there is something wrong with the ECB. I think they have what I call "OMG Shane Warne!" syndrome. This is where you don't believe spinners are capable of being useful unless they are of legendary ability.
The ECB obviously has a policy of employing spinners purely to rest the pacemen. It has no other use for them, which is why they rely on players such as Giles, Udal and Blackwell. As I say, when you have "OMG Shane Warne!" Syndrome, you refuse to believe anything that any situation that has been created by a spinner of Warne's calibre could be replicated by a lesser player.
When Australia toured India in 2004, they brought with them Cameron White and Nathan Hauritz, because they believed they would be useful training tools, White bowling with a method similar to Kumble, Hauritz, a traditional off spinner. Much to everyone's surprise (indeed, shock) Hauritz proved useful, albeit, not a matchwinner, when Warne injured his thumb while practicing. Even further to everyone's amazement, Michael Clarke came in with his handy left arm spin, taking 6/9!
If you are the ECB, though, you probably don't even know this match took place, it is so far from your grip on reality.
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