Dropping a good batsman can hurt you in many ways. Let's take a hypothetical
ODI example below. We have seen this unfold many times in the past with our team.
- A team is at 25/3 after 10 overs.
- Both the batsman on the crease gives moderately difficult caught behind chances and both are dropped. Let's say no run scores off those drops. The team is 30/3 after 11, instead of 30/5.
- They score briskly at 5 rpo and lose only 1 wicket in the process.
- After 40 overs, they reach 225/4.
- Then they launch and score 80 in the last 10 overs for the loss of 4 wickets.
- The final score is 305/8 after 50 overs.
- It is possible that the team might have regrouped after 30/5, but in most cases, they would not cross 200, and in some cases even 150.
- The two drops cost the team at least 105-155 runs. If this is a routine occurrence, can the wicketkeeper routinely score a century to offset this?
Drops can cost a team in so many ways! This is why I want a competent wicketkeeper behind the stamps, in all formats. (The minimum criterion should be competency in keeping. Find the best batsmen among the ones who can do this.) Mushy could then concentrate on batting and skipping.