Batsmen have to come down the pitch to "fetch" him, which is of course just what he wants (the dismissal of Andrew Flintoff today, stumped, was an example of how Powar exasperates batsmen). In the warm-up game at Jaipur last weekend, Powar bowled 10 overs for 35 for the Rajasthan President's XI. Twelve of these runs came from the two times batsmen succeeded in hitting him for six; from his other 58 deliveries, he conceded 23 runs; the batsmen were scarcely able to get him away at all.

At Faridabad today it was fascinating to watch his tussle with Kevin Pietersen, who possesses the most intimidating forward stride to spin bowling in international cricket today. Powar's tactic, as always, was the traditional spinner's gambit: to invite the drive by tossing the ball high and then beat the stroke by making it dip.

Early on he got Pietersen to strike out at a ball, without control, in this fashion, but the resultant chance was put down by the fielder running in from long-on (however, Powar could hardly complain, having just spilled the simplest of caught-and-bowled chances). After that Pietersen gave him a bit more respect, and chose to go after the other spinners. It was what they call a moral victory, though the moral of such victories always is that other kinds of victories are much more preferable.

The other thing to note about Powar is how close he gets to the stumps. His last stride onto the bowling crease is a hop to the right, so that when he pivots over his braced left leg to bowl, his foot is right in line with off-stump. This means he really does bowl "stump-to-stump", unlike Harbhajan, who bowls from much wider on the crease.

The long spell that the two spinners bowled in tandem today gave one a chance of setting them off against each other. Typically, Powar aims to direct the ball "out" away from the right-hander in flight, before getting it to pitch and spin back to hit off- or middle-stump. In contrast, because of where he bowls from on the crease, Harbhajan not only spins it in to the right-hander but also angles it in in the air.

Powar's bowling has more interesting lines and angles - but Harbhajan, of course, makes up for all this with his doosra, without which, one sometimes thinks, he would be a rather pedestrian bowler. But Powar looks like a bowler ideal for the longer version of the game. It is not an age for old-fashioned cricketers, but it would be a discourtesy to his skill if this opportunity comes his way later rather than sooner.

Some good observations there Chandrahas. I've been a big backer of Powar's bowling in the past, although I've felt that he'd be a lot more successful in the longer variation of the game if given a chance. His record for Mumbai in the last few seasons speaks for itself, and I'd love to see him taken to the West Indies this summer.

It's a refreshing change to see a display of classical off spin like this though - no doosras, no top spinners or a mindset of taking a wicket every delivery. Powar's a throwback to off spinners of a previous time with his gentle amble to the wicket and a consistent loop that transforms a seemingly innocuous tossed-up offering into a delivery that teases, taunts and often ends up bamboozling the batsman. He's not afraid to get hit, and more importantly, knows just how to respond when a batsman goes after him.

The final ODI in Pakistan summed up his temperament beautifully - most bowlers, experienced or otherwise, might have wilted with Inzamam charging them in their first over and belting them for a straight six. Powar produced a stunning riposte there, beating Inzamam with a quicker delivery the following ball to trap him plumb LBW. It's that sort of mindset that could make him a major threat at test level. Too many spinners these days respond to being hit with ad hoc field changes, and immediate attempts to mix up deliveries and make the batsmen guess, rather than keeping it simple and sticking to their main strengths. Powar has none of those complications about him, and instead has the patience to be hit a few times, suffer from a number of plays and misses while working a batsman over in a long spell.

With Kumble and Harbhajan both doing well and the selectors apparently anointing Chawla as our next big spinning hope, I'm crossing my fingers and just hoping that Powar somehow gets on the flight to the West Indies for the tests in May. If he turns in a couple more performances like these though, it may be a lot less wishful thinking and a lot closer to the reality.

Powar is a really good bowler and it is high time he gets a chance to play for India on a regular basis. All the best to him

Nice to hear you speak so highly of a new found talent..just a suggestion, avoide pulling down others people while comparing...it mars the spirit of the article

Yes Mr.Choudhury, I agree. Powar is an off-spinner in the classical & traditional mould, reminding of that great EASP in many respects. He is in the form of his life. Now is the best time to try him in the longer version and he will come out with flying colors if tried against WI in WI, since WI batsmen are tradionally susceptible to off-spin.

I don't have time to read about such a worthless and useless bowler

Good article. Pawar is also useful with the bat and is a belter of the cricket ball/ His batting could prove crucial in the number 7/8 slot (especially in the World Cup) if selected. With the super-subs rule not there, his all-rounder role would help India win more matches.

Yes ,this is truly an interesting column.....And I agree more than 100% to it.Powar has got some special talent and the way he controls the flight is a treat to watch.I have no doubts that he is a special talent and requires to be groomed for better prospects of indian cricket

powar should be in the playing 11 for one dayers as well as tests.
sehwag also should be in the 11 on west indies tour.
we now no more need services of ganguly. thanks for the good job done in his prime. better start commenting on tv.
kaif and yuvraj will come into their own when luck start favoring.
vrv singh along with munaf patel should travel to w.indies.
enough for now

Powar is a useful oneday cricketer. The fact that he bowls slowly and is a mould of the old style spinner is somewhat a surprise to all modern day batsmen.

But people will catch on to his bowling with time to come if he wants a regualr place in the indian side he should concentrate more on his batting and fielding and serve as a utility to India.

well all is good for pawar, but no doosra dosent he become very known then, a batsmen with paitaince might play him with atmost ease.
more over he really needs to improve his feilding i mean k so what u have a healthy waist line but catch the ball please u dont use ur tummy u use ur hand.

Powar's craft brings back memories of Prasanna of the 60s and 70s.I wish the selectors will bring him in for tests and keep Bhajji only for the ODIs unless the Australians come along who are traditionally weak against off spin bowling.Powar's batting abilities are well known. So his lack of glamour should not come in the way of a promising career.

If he is so good as said then why he is in and out of the Indian Team? Why Murali Kartik, who never did a memorable outing yet, is considered as the better choice after Kumble and Harbhajan.

-bijo

A very useful addition to the one day side, esp as he is a decent batsmen. Should be a certainty for the World Cup with the low bounce wickets in the Windies able to suit him. My only concern would be his fielding. Adios to Murali Karthik?

romesh power its ok here and there....but he not that type of guy who spins the ball for long run. team india never pick him for nex tour for west indies is that sure. if he gets more wickets then harbajan. but he is good cricketer, who still bowls old traditional offspin bowling. Best of luck Romesh for the remaining ODIs against English

well wisher

Santos Patro, Berhampur, Orissa

well done mr.power, u simply rock with the ball.

I agree with Chandrahas that Powar deserves a test call up but on his comparison with Harbhajan Singh I would like to remind Mr Chandrahas Choudhury that Harbhajan took 32 wickets against the aussies in 3 tests without bowling the doosra. And you dont pick up more than 300 wickets in International Cricket being a pedestrian bowler.

Its all too good to look at the future and try to get youngsters (like piyush chawla )in but at the same time guys like ramesh powar should get more opportunities to display their talent, piyush is young and will get a lot of chances in the future, time being in his favour. I hope Ramesh Powar is used more since he has proved himself whenever given an opportunity with ball or bat (quickfire 30 odd in Pak when all seemed lost in partnership with Balaji, which we lost eventually).
Somehow, BCCI does the unthinkable to quality bowlers who have bowled their hearts (not to mention their bodies )out in domestic cricket awaiting that elusive call up, ex: Kanwaljit Singh who played for Hyderabad.
It should also serve as a reminder to Bhajji that if he doesnt get his act right, there are always people breathing down his neck.
As for Murali Karthik, we should have horses for courses, where the need of the hour decides the feet to fill in the boots not the reputation.If the wicket would suit Murali, so be it , but there should not be any pre-determined approach to any game..Remember the team that always comes out best is the team that adapts to the situation the best...

Powar is a very useful smart spin bowler. He has proven once again that he can be a match winner. The best part of selecting Powar is that in addition to his bowling abilities, he is an excellent fielder and a useful bat too. Thus he can be called an All- rounder, the New Coach C is looking for. We have to follow example of Australia and load ODI teams with All-rounders like Ramesh Powar.

Ramesh Powar certainly deserves more chances.His flight is impeccable.The ball seems to drop on the good length however high he tosses it up.It appears like he is holding a string at the other end to control the dip.He is more than a handy batsman who can be a useful pinch hitter during the power plays.Good luck to Powar.

Ramesh Powar has a good attitude and that sets him apart from the rest of the pack. Thought to make a note of his 'healthy waistline' make not augur well on the long run.....dammit he has to bring it down. Gone are the days when the Arjun Ranatungas' of the world rules world cricket; nowdays one has to be a percentage cricketer in all departments. We cannot expect Ramesh to only bowl well and watch a ludicrious display of fielding. I would say, a few kilos lighter, and he would be a better performer. World Cup demands an all round display; an extra run gifted away could mean the vital difference between a win and a loss!!!!...Go on mate, get on the field and put in some extra hours at bringing the flab down!!!

I think u did not find any other player to discuss on. Nothing is there in Ramesh Pawar.Yes he bowled well in this particular match at Faridabad. But I dont think he is a long run horse.Dont call, Selectors Please, him in longer version of the game. He will be beaten harshly.

Ramesh Powar is more than just a good bowler. I think off late in the quest of the extraordinary and special talents, we have forgot what is simple and effective. We are impressed by players who offer that special performance once in a while and we are giving cold shoulders to the ones who may not look so spectacular but are very consistent and effective. It's high time we recognize what difference consistency can make rather than the once in a while extraordinary brilliance. People like Powar should be given a consistent run especially when established ones are not performing up to the mark and the other talents available are really untested even at domestic levels.
The general public is not going to understand the importance of such players as they do not understand the game at that level, but the selectors are supposed to be a wiser lot! It’s high time they put their thinking caps on and think cricket.

Ramesh Poware has proved his worth to team India every time he was handed an opportunity. He is those persevering type who tries to give his all irrespective of what the result is. Certainly he will be an asset to the one day team for the world cup

Romesh powar - useful but I dont know how he is going to cope up the demanding ODI`s with his bulky figure. Better he reduces wight and concentrate more on fielding.

In his limited appearences in the international arena Powar has always been impressive. His old EAS Prasanna style combined with his "new India" confidence, spirit make him a tremendous asset. Thankfully, the new regime will give him chances - in the SG era Dinesh Mongia would have been the prime choice.

I am praying for the day, when Powar, Kumble, Harbhajan and Chawla play together!All of them are wonderful spinners, each possessing a distinct quality and each capable of being a match winner on a given day.

The days of Boon and Ranatunga are over. Powar would play more often if he lost weight. With the resources available today to aid those that are horizontaly challenged, there is no excuse for an international cricketer to have a waistline that rivals the width of a pitch. Powar is a talent but it is upto him to bolster his gifts by conditioning his body.

Yes Powar is a good option for India and its always good to have choices. If he wants to improve his value to the Indian squad he needs to work hard on his fielding and fitness. He does not have to trim figure but should be sharp and agile. My case for the likes of Kaif and Raina is that they save 10-15 runs in the field and can change course of a game by a stunning catch or a runout whereas the Gangulys and Powars cost runs and opportunities in the field. This is as important in modern test cricket as in ODIs

With Ramesh Pawar bowling in tandem with Harbhajan should be a useful ploy that could be tried out as both these bowlers also are decent bats at the lower order. Pawar is in the Dhoni mould can smack the best bowling to threads or can help boost the run rate in the role of a pinch-hitter.
Should be encouraged.

he may be a good bowler by whatever means like good grip or good stride,flight whatever, but the chance he dropped showed that he is not elegible to play in street cricket even. i think that was the simplest of catch i have ever seen and india don't need such players when we have a players of like yuvraj , kaif or raina. in geoff's word that catch could have been taken by my mom

Andrew Flintoff is the best all-rounder, Powar just got lucky, just remember England are a poor One-Day team, doubt he would get as much success against us in the test arena.

Powar is a useful bowler who is good as long as he is at his best.. He still not bowled to international batsmen at consistent level after that only we can judge his true potential. It is too early to suggest that he is next hope for us.

Yes. Powar can be very useful against WI in WI. Venkat had bowled very well in WI and in fact had many bunnies there.

Boys relax he is a very average bowler, who got some assistance from the spin friendly pitches.. thats it..

His fielding is lethargic at best and if doesn't get a friendly pitch with pace of spin bowling you need indian substitutes in the stands to pick up the ball.

In one days were there are mostly flat pitches, Kanerias and kumbles are suffering do you think this plumpy turner is any better than them....

chill out the last two matches kumble would have torn apart England.

I read with awe at the description of Powar gile and glamour. I also read an interesting comment that said that West Indians cannot bat off spinn. I beg to differ... you just have to ask Harbojan to conform my position. Maybe in India he would do well but on the lifeless pitches of the Caribbean and the invitingly small boundries, your hero Powar would probably be delighted with the flow of Lara's blade (being that he is so comfortable with sixes). You should also be warned about Dwayne Smith, who bags the square of Peterson's power and the insanity of Afriede. He loves going to mid wicket, especially after being beaten in the flight.

Always you people start a debate whenever some player does good or bad. Give him some time. Don't get excited. In sport, you cann't compare two players based on single performance. The bottom line is at present form, Ramesh Powar deserve more chances.

I dont understand why he is preferred to Kumble, surely Kumble troubles batsmen as much as Powar does, if not more. OK, Kumble is not the most agile of fielders, but I would bet half my pension that he is better than Powar!
If the Indian team see Powar as a long-term option, they need to put him on the WeightWatchers programme.

At his age, how many years can Powar play for India? Kumble might give that much service any way.

They don't play Kumble in ODIs for he is not a good fielder. Perhaps, Powar is.

I give in though to the argument that if Kartik could hang around for so long, why not Powar? Why not anybody, for that matter?

Off spinners who developed the doosra, except perhaps Muralidharan, lost their original art of off spin bowling. Remember what happened to Saqlain? Powar who doesnt bowl the doosra, hence, is a classical off spinner, a breed which has become a rarity. Hence he should be given more chances to play and at the same time get fitter.

I always liked Ramesh Powar. I think he has a very cool attitude, never gets ruffled and gives it back when attacked (remember Inzi's wicket). With his batting capabilities (once again remember the ODI against Pak where he and Balaji almost pulled it off?) he will be very useful in ODIs for us.

As someone said, it's too early to say whether Powar is a long term prospect, but at least he should have got his chances much earlier. This has been a consistent problem for India over few years now. Pick someone, that guy comes up with a couple of decent or one impressive performance and stays on forever. Why Harbhajan and Sehwag are staying for so long after a long string of failures? Sehwag hasn't just failed in one or two series, his record in the last 40-50 ODIs is bad (ave about 28 with just 1 hundred). An average of 28 and he is considered one of our best players of present and future.

Are they Gods that they cannot be dropped for few matches so that others get a chance?

Because of this rigid policy lot of good players in their prime lose opportunities, sweat and blood.

I am all for giving Powar a decent run in the one-days, if not the tests. Going by his spirited stroke play in a no win situation against Pakistan, he can be experimented as a pinch hitter, if Sehwag gets out early. Given that Sehwag getting out early is becoming a norm, along with continous experimentation, I hope to see him in that role sooner than later.

But a word of caution: lets not make a hero out of him, by comparing him with proven performers like Harbhajan and greats like Prasanna, just after a three wicket haul. We have seen the demise of many a player (Hirwani, Kambli, Agarkar... to name a few) after early success and subsequent adulation.

All said and done, all the best to this bright talent, to prove himself in the long run.

Powar's crafty bowling in the slow low Faridabad pitch was a treat to watch. The way he foxed Flintoff was a sight seen to be believed. I am of the strong view that he should be played in the remaining 5 ODI's. Let us not worry about his waist measurements !! His batting at No 9 will be handy. He will be an instant success in West Indies in their slow pitches. All the best to Romesh.

G.N. Mani, Chennai

When people compare Kumble and Powar they tend to forget that Kumble is our best bowler in the subcontinent. However, his record on foriegn soil has not been impeccable. He is the best we have, but he is not at his best where we are lacking. Powar had performed very consistently in Ranji. I can actually boast and say that Mumbai won many titles just because of Powar. Agreed he should lose weight though.

Mr Krish if u don't know anything about the cricket game, please for the God's sake don't exhibit your lack of knowledge & don't pass any nonsense comments about the rising star of the country.
Ramesh Powar is really a talanted player

Powar is on off spinner in a very classical mould. Although use of flight and guile delight me, I feel that these traditional methods of defeating a batsman will not prevail in modern test cricket

With that healthy waistline of his he puts whole new spin on the term "all-rounder"! What say you?

I think we should try to put this performance into perspective though. This track was a slow pitch, with low bounce. I would say that playing Powar on this pitch was a good move by the Indian camp. However, he may not be such a good pick on all surfaces. If Powar were to bowl on harder pitches, with a bit more pace and bounce, I have my doubts over whether he would be as effective as he was in Faridadbad.

Mr. Choudhury, I must say I appreciated the keen observations about Powar's run-up and bowling process. The "bowling out" from close to the stumps that you speak of definitely adds an edge to an off spinner's bowling. Harbhajan's "bowling in" technique has a different process behind it, aiming to make his doosra more effective. I remember one very special delivery that had Kallis stumped in a one-day match some years ago.

Well, it's good to see that the selectors are looking beyond Kumble and Harbhajan for spinning options, and are rewarding good domestic bowling performances with calls to the international team.

Hey, Powar is aged only 27, he can play atleast 8 years in international without a problem, note that his style of bowling doesn't need a great amount of fitness.

And while we compare Powar with other spinners like Harbhajan, Kumble, Kartik etc. it is to be noted that Powar is very good and gutsy lower order batsman, much better than Harbhajan's matkas, Kumble's blocks or Kartik's slogs..Remember his knock at Rawalpindi in the 2nd ODI against Pakistan in 2004? He almost pulled off a win for India where at one stage India needed 46 from 4 overs with 2 wickets in hand. And its not his mistake, he stayed not out where balaji and nehra perished from the other end.

All and all, Powar is an exciting talent, very different bowler, much like Jeremy Snape who played a handful of ODIs for England (a very slow bowler). And remember, Powar IS AN ALLROUNDER and NOT JUST A BOWLER!

About his fielding, he is not that slow to the ball as you all are telling, the weak point in his fielding is his weak arm, his throw.. Obviously, he needs to improve there!

Well there was no doubt that Powar has been a great bowler, the whistle was blown by Sri Lankan Thilina Kandamby. He was wondering as to why a quality bowler like Powar was being kept out of the Indian playing eleven. Hats off to Powar and I would like to wish him good luck.

Ramesh

On a slow turing track you can do magic but what about Firm, hard batting wickets? You will be counted likes of Warne or Murli if you do same thing on batsmen paradise wickets. Pls do not get carried away. Still you need to beat Bhajji, a favourite of Dravid and Ganguly.

Hmm....
Interesting. Though i personally feel that Powar still has a lot to learn. The doosra is an important weapon to have for any spin bowler, no matter how many other variations you have(as Muralitharan has shown!).
It will be good to see him learn the doosra and a good top spinner.
He looks good in colours but somehow, Harbhajan inspires more confidence and zeal.
As for tests....well, time will tell.

ofcourse powar is a new find of indian cricket.Spinners life in indian cricket team is always less...some good examples are murali karthik, chauchan,Raju,kanitkar,nikhil chopra.,etc mainly bcoz of Anil kumble and Harbajan singh.Even kumble having 500 wickets in his kitty couldnt find a place in the ODI bcoz of poor fielding...Whenever india goes abroad,they never opt for two spinners in the playing 11,means bhaji has to sit-out.The selectors,if suppose want to add an extra spinner for the tour of west-indies they may go for chawla coz he is young,energetic and can also bat..may be the last chance for powar is the remaining ODI against England..so,its the right time for powar to prove not only with the ball but also with the bat and must disclose his fielding abilities as well to grab a place in the test side ahead of kumble,bhaji and chawla..best of luck for him...(NOTE: plz dont criticize his fielding abilities coz he had dropped a simplest of all the catches..it can happen to anyone,after all our players dropped 16 catches in the mumbai test including many sitters).....

Harbajan has been given a lot of chances and his record in tests over the last year or so has been very poor. He came good on a wicket in Mumbai made for spinners. Take his abroad and he struggles and that is what his record shows recently. India need a big turner of the ball which will help them abroad. Powar is a bigger turner of the ball and he flights the ball well. For the off-spinners role I would pick Powar ahead of Harbajan for the WI tour. He should be given a run based on his great performances recently. Then we will know whether he is up to the mark. Otherwise we are just guessing. Also some people from the public need to think more carefully before writting insulting comments, as they are not funney and the the person writing them comes across as being stupid. Finally I want to add a lot has been said about Chawla, I was hoping he would turn the ball as much as Warne. But seeing him for the first time in the recent test I did not see any turn from him. Unless he spins the ball a lot more he will also struggle abroad.

I agree that Power has been unlucky because of Harbhajan and i hope really that he dosent become the Indian Macgill, for all talent and the big heart of his, he deserves a chance, not just to ensure a backup, but to keep Bhaji on the toes, afterall the bar is raised only when there is competition ?

ramesh powar is impressive in the ODI .coach should think of his feature and selectors doing the right decision to put ramesh powar instead of murali kathick
but his bowling actoin so good and about his line and length much better than any other spinners

I will tell you all these good comments you see in the article is because Powar bowled beautifully in the last match.Once he gets some stick all these writers will turn against him.Please who say he bowls with a good loop will hit him for a six.Stupids.But dont get me wrong.I am big fan of Powar, along with his offspin bowling which has a classical old touch(to early to say as he is 5 match old and that too onedayers but still...) to it he is a very good lower order batsman and a batsman who scores when the team needs which he has proven time and again for Mumbai.

It was interesting to read the article. It is written by a deep student of the game and not a nerd--like those who booed Sachin at Mumbai. It is also an educative article on off-spin bowling for the uninitiated and those who are keen to learn the nuances of this wonderful game. I agree with most of what has been written. However Bhajji is a match winner while Powar always will be a helper not someone who can run thru as side. The reason why he is better than Kartik is because he is an extremely accurate bowler. India shold make proper use of Powar so that he can get the confidence to perform to his true potential

It's unfortunate the way the selectors discriminate against Powar because of his non-athlethic looks. They should show more respect for a player's abilities. Kudos to Powar to make it this far despite what he probably had to face. Performance speaks loudest after all. All the best Powar. You represent all of us underdogs...............

People here have spoken a lot about Powar, good and bad, but no one has mentioned (perhaps no one is aware of it) the steel this man has. One has to take one look at his performances for Mumbai and one can see this guy has saved Mumbai with both bat and ball. Age may not be on his side but this guy has something which we desperately need in our Test side and that is Strength of Character. If he is given a chance it will be a good thing for Indian cricket. So lets hope he makes full use of his rare opportunities and the selectors wake up to his (Test Cricket) abilities.

I think its still early to judge. We haven't seen enough of his bowling to to come to a proper conclusion yet. But if he does provide some consistent performances, then I do think Powar would be an excellent prospect. With his ability bat (having hit 4 centuries and 14 half-centuries in first-class) he could be an all-rounder India so desperately needs. His fielding might be a concern though, and he should work on his physical fitness. But lets not be to critical of that..Shane Warne used to be a fairly chubby fellow, and still has a bit of pudge and look how well he has played and continues to do.

Arjun Sharma, Toronto.

Power seems to be good off spinner and handy batsmen. I have seen him batting in Ranji. He is good striker of ball. Given a chance he can be good all rounder. I hope that he will get more chances. Specially top order is not in good form. He should be promoted one down. I feel it is good position for him. Good luck to him.

My Dear Sameer, do you think Powar has more steel than Kumble or Warne or Murli. If these bowlers gets hammering in batsman friendly pitches (remember murli went for 99 runs), just think of Powar. And in 5 one day matches he played so far, how many overs he has delivered?? just 30 overs. It means 6 overs per match. And if you minus 10 overs in spinner friendly pitch of Faridabad, you will get to know how useful he is with ball. And if you are talking about his batting skills then my dear friend we have plenty of batsmen who can contribute usefully with ball Raina, Venugopal, dinesh mongia, rohan gavaskar, to name a few.

Powar is good. but dude.. whats up with those glasses??? and lose those pounds!

Powar has caught the eye of few people with his performances, most notable being Greg Chapell who wants him in the squad for World Cup 2007.
He is even more than handy with the bat which makes him a very handy asset.Though he may need to improve on his fielding.

the good thing about powar is his looks.people think him as a stupid cricketer looking like a old sri lankan.it makes them lethargic and this guy uses this to his benefit by turning the ball a mile.

This 28-year old 'youngster' is getting his chances rather late..he has been the most prolific bowler for mumbai since many years now.Also he has got good scores lower down the order which could come in handy for Team India.Pray For Powar!!

Guys what the hell are u doing? Talk about the article for godsake!!! not the players and plz o plz do not compare players coz u r not dng justice to them or their talent.....by the way.....plzzzzzzzz...u all keep ur idiotic ideas to yourself coz nobody has to know it.

its a matter of time before opposition teams study him and find out the best way to tackle him.

talk about his batting too.. he is a genuine all-rounder

Powar has been in and out of the team India, played a couple games on the 2004 tour to Pakistan and then was sent to exile for 2 years, made his comaback in recent tour to Pakistan. I don't understand if we really need the Powars and Karthik ahead of Jumbo(Kumble), he's a champion bowler still hold the best bowling figures 6/12 (vs WI) hands down he should be in the squard. They have to go back with the kind of experience this man brings into the side, Kumble needless to say is a fighter, remember how well he held one end with the rest of the tail in the recently concluded test series. Hey More & Co. bring back kumble in the ODI squard, give team india the options of kumble in big games like the WC finals. Ganguly has already made the mistake by keeping Jumbo out of the 11 in the 03 finals, Dravid and Greg should'nt.

Powar is certainly in the classic off-spinner's mould - varying the pace, flighting, teasing, and ultimately - deceiving, the batsman. However, to use "pedestrian" for Harbhajan Singh's bowling was really stretching it - Harbhajan has greater variety, shoots it in quicker, and most importantly - extracts bounce. I am personally given to believe that this very fact - the two off-spinners being as different as they are - will work very well for them when they bowl in tandem. For, thats what India's forte has always been, hasn't it? Spinners bowling in tandem?

People in this post have mentioned how Powar's bowling and batting can be an asset for tests...which leads me to wonder: Why doesn't India consider selecting different squads for both Test and ODI's? At this point, no one will contest the fact that India is one of the premier ODI teams, and no total seems out of reach when Dhoni and Irfan are still due to bat. However, recent test matches have shown that India need batsman who can play defensive strokes and build the total. I think it is time that the BCCI recognizes players like Powar, Dinesh Mongia, Dinesh Karthik etc. to complement Dravid, and stregthen our Test team to its fullest ability. Any thoughts?

Also, Powar seems to have the patience and temperament required to flight the ball the way he does. While some may say he becomes easier to hit in the shorter version of the game, I believe quite the contrary. It needs to be remembered that a bowling side needs just ten deliveries to run through the opposition, while the batting side needs to keep out 300 of them. The odds already favor the bowling side. When used well, as Romesh Powar does, the flighted delivery becomes a most potent weapon in a game where the batting teams wants to "get on with it", and not a liability - as many might be given to belive.

Powar is a decent alround cricketer and reminds me a lot of the indian all rounder robin singh in his 100% effort and great attitude. Has ability to spin the ball more than others with decent accuracy and can tonk the ball when required in the lower order too.

there is no doubt about powar's talent but we have to see the conditions in which he bowled. His lack of variety like the doosra can prove devastating in conditions not suitable for spin bowling.

remesh is a good allrounder for india.so we can utilise his ability,so give to chance in oneday and test matches.he is only 27 he can ply more cricket for india.so best luck remesh ,prove your self

jobi.London

the point is tht this guy is playing his 5-6th international match..while others wld be nervous and trying to calm down...this guy comes out with totally out of blue RED GOGS and has tht so confident looking looks ...tht he hardly seems to be a player to get dubbed under pressure...i guess thts also true for dhoni..pathan..raina....perhaps...all can b credited to new team management

Powar is good and very traditional bowler but calling Bhajji a pedestrian bowler, the match winner bowler in both Test and ODI matches.... It is not good. Shame on you.

Ramesh Powar epitomizes the gully cricketer of Mumbai. He has talent, but it is his temperament at the domestic level and evident at the international level that makes him stand out. I have never seen him throw a tantrum, never sledge (atleast not as openly as Bhajji). He shows the patience of Dravid and the silent aggro of Kumble. When CC writes about his bowling as a lot about angles and less about the doosra, it brings a parallel with Warne - who is takes wickets with the legbreak and an exceptional use of the crease. Powar is wily, unafraid and can wield the bat a bit. He should be in the test team over Chawla, who is still raw. The Windies are suspect against legspin, but putting Chawla in over Pawar would be unfair to both. I believe (and hope the selectors do too)that Ramesh Powar with his overall skills and temperament is ripe to be thrown into the ring of fire.

Pawar should improve his fielding to be a regular member of the Team. He is a good bowler and useful batsman and can act as back up for Harbhajan, especially when Bhaji is not firing.

I think powar seems to be a lively cricketer.I was realy impressed by the way he was controlling his flight.He is a classical spinner who bowls with a good drift and loop.He is a rarity in the modern day.He should have been there in the test squad against england especially when harbhajan was not bowling well.I think whenever india tours abroad he needs to be in the squad in place of harbhajan who has a dismal record abroad especially with a kookubara ball.

It was no doubt a heartening performance , but how about setting an example saying no one can get a place in the side unless he is physically fit and atleast a OK fielder . Why cant we set the expectations of the youngsters still in their early life that you do not have a place in the side until you are absolutely fit.

I do have to agree with others here, Powar reminds me of EASP. Both in build and action. Of late we Indians have been obsessed with Fast bowling, we are searching for the next Shoaib Akhtar. Instead we should be looking for the next EASP, Vinoo Mankad or even Bapu Nadkarni. Imagine someone bowling 10 overs and conceeding less than 10 runs in an One Day!!!

He is a fantastic player and he is probably the one of the best off-spiners i've seen and the way he has mastered spin is just wonderfully amazing and its nice to see that he is contributing to the indian cricket team nicely. He is also very good with bat and if i got the chance i would comment him on his fabulous work he could certainly do himself and the team a favour by losing some weight i can tell you this is one of the many talents emerging from india. Even though i am 12 yrs old i can tell you kids are more mature than they seem good bye cricinfo lovers and thank you for letting me have a say.

nice offspin bowler but no use indian bowlers are good only for souple of years and after india's looking for trouble in bowling department india needs some permenent and dependent bowlers wich unfortunately they got and hopefully will never get.

I think Indian team selectors should give him a chance because whenever he was asked to perform he has given his best. So he should be a permanent member of "Men in Blue" TEAM INDIA.

Powar reminds me of myself.

Never having seen Powar bowl, I'm in no position to comment about that. However, a few of the respondents seem to be offended by Chandrahas calling Harbajan "pedestrian." I didn't pick this up. What he said was that it was Harbajan's doosra that made him a good bowler, merely meaning that he's the sort of bowler who naturally requires more variation than Powar to be effective. Now, thinking about it, that's not quite the same thing, is it?

No one can be better than Bhajji.

U R absolutely right, unless we give more chances to young lot, we will never be in a position to have sufficient back-up. its good that Indian cricket selection committee started believing in new comers.. offcourse, Powar is one example

Posted by: Mark at April 1, 2006 11:53 AM

Hey, this is me, Yash and not Mark, you have put my name in the next article...Its me who wrote the article and not Mark, please correct it, thanks

It is nice to no dat someone respects the bowling of powar.Many a time people judge his bowling on the way he looks.i tink dat he has got da best full toss in the world.he decieves the batsman wit da flight da batsman goes to sweep it or hit frr a six but then suddenly the ball dips.He sometimes reminds me of Bishen bedi he had dis same full toss.Not that i am comparing bishen and powar!!!!!!!!!.He is a very consistant bowler.Not only a bowler.he is an okay batsman too he can deliver the big hits very often when he is batting. He can field well 2 i am not mentioning the simple drop catch that day at faridabad but otherwise he has been very good.People who have watched when he was playing wit india A wat agree wit wat im am suggesting abt his fielding.The only ting Ramesh powar has to improve s his style.His glasses yuch!!!amd has too reduce his fat. And last he shud improve his batting cuz he does not stay at the crease frr long very often altough he can deliver the big hits.

Ofcourse Ramesh Powar is a good bowler and useful with the bat as well.But the Important thing is he is more useful on subcontinent tracks which are slow and low, His lack of varieties like Doosra or a top spinner makes him predictable after some more matches.In what ever sense, at the present moment he is no match to Bhajji.At the least he can keep bhajji on his heels to perform.

Powar has played a few games previously for india...was is bowling any different then?? just because he got wickets this blog has come about...it is the very same way he has been bowling throughout and it was the same powar who got clobbered at times in pakistan at good batting pitches...it is then that he needs the doosra...and Mr Chaudhary..you feel that bhajji would have been a pedestrian spinner if not for his doosra? I respectfully differ and i am sure you would have remembered the fact that the doosra only came about 2-3 years back....i wonder how he got the 23 wickets against Australia in 2001..where there was no doosra in sight. Make comments with credibility...just dont make them to attract viewership.

ok

Its so funny that someone with no track record at all becomes a hero all of a sudden. Like people say "It happens only in India" i guess.

The Indian Media has always been biased and immature. It happened in the case of ganguly as well. Someone who has done so much good was treated like an ass by the media (I'm not a ganguly fan). And I wouldnt be surprised if Powar is dumped in a couple of matches by the same fellows who go ga-ga about his exploits in one match. Come of age guys!

Powar is good thinking bowler. Mighty impressed by his control over flight (Flintoff/Strauss dismissals ...). Have to agree with most readers here, can't remember seeing any classical off spinner in recent times after Shivlal Yadav ... Would be good for India, if he gets an extended run in test cricket.

Mr.Chandrahas Choudhury, I really don't think anyone with a sane cricketing mind would consider Harbhajan a "pedestrian bowler", with or without the doosra. When he took 32 wickets against Australia, he had not developed the doosra. Yes, he is going through a lean patch, but Harbhajan has more class than Powar. It is the same reason that the selectors are sticking with Sehwag and Tendulkar. Powar is a good bowler, yes, and should be utilised when needed. I really doubt, though, that he is in for the long haul; the selectors won't choose him over Kumble or Harbhajan because they have done enough in international cricket to earn their place in the Indian team.

powar is the next prasanna?...well done to whoever cameup with that.....he's good ....but letstakeit easy with the comparisons huh???

A lot is being talked about Rameash Powar And offcourse rightly as well.But if we want him to continue we will have to save him from deadly Hype.And Also request selectors to have a little bit faith on him and give him some kind of assurance to get best out of him.Iam sure if it happens this guy will serve our country for long long time.

I am surprised that so much space is devoted to Powar here. Personal opinion is that at international level, he can't bat, catch or run to field / save runs. He also can't be a good role model for youngsters in the team as he is clearly not following the same fitness regime. What does Kumble have to do to get back into the team? Score the 4th highest aggregate runs in the Test Series.... oh no he already did that.....

I did not read though all the comments, sorry, but I have one question; If Powar gets into the Test Side, which Spinner is he going to replace? Not Kumble, because he is a Leg-Spinner. Harbhajan? Because he failed in Pakistan? No way , Jose.
Why don't you replace Dhoni instead for Test Matches and put in a keeper who can keep to World -Class Spinners. Let Dhoni play the ODI's with Powar. By the way, I'm not a Harbhajan fan, just someone who thinks good performances in ODI's are over rated. Look at Pak's Afridi-very useful in ODI's almost useless as Test Bowler in Tests. Come on, India, wake up ! You cannot drop Harbhajan or Kumble, so forget Powar.