Harbhajan Singh has been reported for a suspected illegal bowling action. The offspinner Singh’s doosra was called into question by the match officials after India romped to victory by 195 runs in the second Test against Pakistan at Kolkata.
“It was noticeable to the umpires and me that there was an apparent change in action when bowling [the doosra] between the first innings of the match, when no concerns were raised, and the second, which then prompted the report to be made,” Chris Broad, the match referee said.
Singh, who took 4 for 145 in that match, is the first bowler to be reported for a suspected illegal bowling action since the ICC’s new regulations came into effect on March 1.
He will now undergo an independent review process under the central control of the ICC, which will include bio-mechanical testing, following the report compiled by Broad and the match umpires, Darrell Hair, Steve Bucknor, Arani Jayaprakash. This will be completed within 21 days, and Singh is free to play for India during this time. But if he is found to have an illegal action the 24-year-old could face immediate suspension.
Under the new regulations, the tolerance limit - for straightening of the arm - for all bowlers has been set at 15 degrees, which studies have shown is when the naked eye can make out excessive straightening. The changes were suggested by an expert panel chaired by Sunil Gavaskar, the former Indian opening batsman.
A few of the delivieries he bowled in the second innings were blatant chucks. You could see his arm bending,,, I would guess close to 40 degrees. The one he got Akmal on was ludicrous. I thought it was Randy Johnson throwing a fastball.......
Honestly, cant these guys bowl properly. Im not just talking about him, includde Shabbir Ahmed and Shaoib Malik. All these guys have been called numerous times for chucking.
^Akter might technically chuck it, but his arm deformity ensures that its the only way he can bowl. I might include Murli in this category.
Shabbirs bouncers are often chucks
Shaoib Malik chucks blatently and he should'nt be allowed to bowl again unles he completely remodels his action. Chuckbajan is also blatent.
come on F&B…don’t be emotional…but it is obvious that sardar needs some physical help…he does chuck a lot and it is not fair to his opponents…Indian board needs to sort out this problem on a permanent basis…sardar did bowl a lot of obnoxious deliveries during this test match and it is not fair…after all shoaib malik is also facing a ban and in my opinion, when sardar tries to ball doosara, he chucks as much as malik chucks…..One should remember that you only need one delivery to get rid of a batsman which may change the result of a whole test match and if that one delivery is fraud and illegal then it is not fair……
I am not emotional. I am just saying lets do it for all of chucker. Sardar is chucker and so are many other. Lets not pick and choose since some of them happens to be from your fav team. Biggest chucker of the world is Murali.
Just because he was cleared for chucking, he thought he can THROW anything at the bowlers and that's exactly what he did with those Doosras. Chucky Singh should banned along with Shoaib Malik.
I have said this before and will say it again, that ICC needs to be strict with chuckers. No leniency....and that list of chuckers must include SHOAIB AKHTAR. His "effort" deliveries are almost always chucks....
Harbhajan has a suspect action...I am not about to defend that.... but Pakistanis have a much longer list of "chuckers".... how can somebody look at Shabbir Ahmed deliver the ball and not say that he chucks is beyond me...it's so friggin obvious....every single ball that he delivers...
My opinion on the subject is that if anybody is reported to have a "suspect" action(which includes Harbhajan)....they should be kept out of international matches .....until proven that they have modified their action to deliver legitimate balls for an extended period of time....
These guys fly off to Australia to have their action corrected...bowl a few balls in the nets with the modified action....have their action cleared.... and then come back to the old self again...
There should also be a THREEE STRIKES law...if you have been reported 3 times ....you are banned from bowling for life....PERIOD.
I was batting with Sadagoppan Ramesh and we had been in for a while. Shoaib had come on to bowl and had completed a few overs when we had a drinks break. He was bowling sharp but not with much venom. I told Ramesh, “We’ve got a good partnership here. Let’s keep it going. Shoaib generally bowls three or four good overs and after that we can cash in.” The ball had just started to reverse swing a little bit.
First ball after drinks, bang! I saw it clearly as it left his hand – it looked like it was going to be overpitched. It started from outside off stump and came back in a long way. The ball was too good for me on the day.
I walked back to thunderous applause. Having scored only 24 runs,** I found this a bit strange, till I realised it was for Sachin, who was coming out**.
I had hardly settled down in the dressing room when there was a roar and then pin-drop silence. I looked up at the television screen in the dressing room, but I needn’t have. You could sense what had happened. Because the television pictures are slightly delayed,** I saw Sachin being bowled**.
It was too good a ball to receive first up. I was set for a while and yet he got me. Sachin had no chance. Those two balls turned the Test match around.
Dravid made 13 in the second innings before he was dismissed by Shoaib again. Interviewed by Anand Vasu.
I like to call a spade a spade, even if its an Indian involved.
If you think my opinions are biased because I am an Indian…I suggest you don’t waste your time reading them and responding to them…
When I say “effort” deliveries…I mean the deliveries that Akhtar delivers with too much oomph…I still remember the delivery he “bowled” to Fleming in one of the PAK-NZ matches in WC in England…which crashed into Fleming’s stumps…
Akhtar’s action (when he delivered the ball) was like a bowler who fields the ball in his follow-through and throws the ball hard at the batsman’s stumps to run him out.
Actually I never saw that “famous” delivery that Akhtar “bowled” to Tendulkar, so I will not comment on that one.
i dont see how being bowled once qualifies as tendulkar not having the capability to play shoaib. he's smacked shoaib around like a club bowler in atleast a couple of matches. esp. the last world cup..
