Consistently Inconsistent. Review on Ajit Agarkar

After having watched the way Indian batting fared in the first one-dayer in NewZealand one thing was damn sure about this Indian One-day outfit. The lacks all-rounders. India doesn't need a Cairns or a Klusener but then atleast it can have people like Harris and Symonds but alas!! India hardly finds an all-rounder and if it does indeed, they wouldn't be match winners but just Bits 'n' Pieces cricketers. Can you call Bangar a genuine all-rounder? To an extent Yes. But then, this lad is already in his 30s and well, he has his own limitations. Then the only other man India got to look up to is none other than Ajit Agarkar. So here I am to write about the only possible genuine all-rounder in the Indian one-day line up for the world cup.

His-tory: Ajit Agarkar is a man from Mumbai. Having had an impressive season for Mumbai, he toured to Pakistan as a part of the India A team coached by Shrikanth. That series proved to be crucial as he made a mark with some good performances with the bat and some really decent performances with the ball. That was when he was given the brand name, Potential all-rounder. And then he was grafted into the Indian team. I know the reason too. Every time a Mumbai lad gives one good performance, the irredentists give him a chance the very next tour. Agarkar came into the Indian side playing the mightly Australians in 98.

As a stroke of luck or a god-given gift, Agarkar picked up wickets at will, although at an economy rate of 5.4 runs an over. Yes, he had that uncanny ability of picking up wickets and well, he became the so called wicket taking bowler of India. Very true, he raced to 50 wickets in just 23 matches and became the fastest to do so but then he fell apart. Since then, his career has swidled around and is moving like a pendulum until now. Let us explore the different aspects of this lad from my point of view.

As a bowler: Agarkar is a nippy customer. One can easily be foxed by his slim physique and school boyish looks. He is faster than he looks. Having the ability to swing the ball both ways, Agarkar can easily clock 145 kmph on responsive and true pitches. He is good at the death with those fast in-swinging yorkers and those rolling slower deliveries. He certainly can bowl the bouncers at will and trouble the batsmen. But...but having all these abilities, this lad is highly inconsistent. He can strike hard only on his day and can have many off days. I mean, as a bowler there is no margin of error for you. If you are inconsistent then there can be no place in the team and that too, if one cannot learn from his mistakes, then there is no use in giving him a shot. Well, he does have some good bowling figures but then, what is the use if you are not consistent. Again, as a bowler, Agarkar has immense potential and he has to put them to use.

As an all-rounder: Well, we all know Agarkar's record as a batsman. While on one hand we have Agarkar as a batsman who has scored the fastest 50 by an Indian and the same Agarkar has the dubious distinction of having had the most number of ducks in a test series. Hmm...really hard to understand the nature of this player. Is it like, you woke up gleefully and smacked the hell out of bowler or else, had a bad night out and hence came out in the morning down and out? I really don't see him, in any way, useful in the one-dayers against tuff oppositions. Once again, I am tempted to say that this guy is inconsistent in the batting area too. Hence, he can't chip in with small contributions that can win matches either. For me, Agarkar is well short of an all rounder, although he is quick on the field and can really hit some flat throws.

What I dislike in him: More than anything else, Agarkar is too much injury prone. He can easily get injured and be out of action for weeks. This doesn't really auger well for him. More so, his inconsistent nature and ever unsure form really puts some doubts about him. Take his bowling; he fires on all cylinders on a day and for days together he has off-days. Same goes with his batting too. This being the case, Agarkar really doesn't qualify as an all-rounder. Comparing him with the like of Klusener, Kallis or even Harris is so to say a sin. What if he has the potential. He should be able to deliver them. When he can't do it consistently there is no point in persuing with him.

Hmm...The World Cup is here and still India is dependent on Agarkar as an all-rounder which, in my opinion, is a rather inconsistent statement. It is high time Ajit delivered the goods. Do I see him as a big prospect in the World Cup? No. Do I recommend him? No. Is he a worthy all-rounder? No, not at all. Does he have the potential? Yes, but then what is the use if he can't deliver them. What's the verdict then? I do not recommend Ajit Agarkar in any case. I hope this lad learns from his mistakes and one fine day, delivers the goods. Till then, let us leave him alone.

Thanks for reading and happy Boxing day.