Right after the sequence win Down Under in opposition to Australia, one would have heard many consultants speaking about the huge assets of the expertise pool that India boasts of. Rightly so, in the previous couple of years, with improved home construction and the IPL, there could be near 25-30 gamers who can play for the workforce at the similar time, or in simpler phrases, India can area two worldwide sides at the similar time.
This is what is occurring at present, the place a squad led by Virat Kohli is in England, for the Test sequence, whereas a ‘B’squad for a limited-overs sequence in opposition to Sri Lanka has additionally been introduced. These are actually unprecedented instances for any workforce, maybe in the historical past of cricket, the place two equally in a position groups from a nation might be collaborating in occasions concurrently.
But one query lingers on. Where is the subsequent Kapil Dev, which India has been wanting on for years?
This query is just not that straightforward to reply. One should dig deep, to seek out a real fast-bowling all-rounder in the nation after Hardik Pandya light away relatively shortly. The younger Pandya confirmed a lot of promise in his preliminary years, each in the Tests in addition to the limited-overs codecs, however his physique couldn’t deal with the rigours of worldwide cricket.
The end result? Multiple accidents inside a brief span of time, which suggests he can’t bowl successfully anymore, and that guidelines him out for choice in Tests. Of course, he’s solely 27 and might work his approach to grow to be fitter, however that doesn’t appear to be occurring for the second, since Pandya hasn’t bowled a lot in limited-overs codecs too.
In the previous, India was fortunate to be served by one other Baroda all-rounder who loved a first rate run in the worldwide area and churned out performances with bat and ball equally. But it will likely be secure to imagine that Irfan Pathan’s profession too was relatively unfulfilled. Though his stats in Tests inform us that he may have been the one for Team India. In 29 Tests, the youthful Pathan had 100 wickets and scored 1105 runs at a median of over 31.
After the World Test Championship closing loss in opposition to New Zealand in Southampton just lately, skipper Kohli rued the absence of a real pace-bowling all-rounder, however his wait doesn’t appear to be ending quickly. The choices at his disposal are Shardul Thakur — who, although can bat, however can’t be known as a real all-rounder.
The ones ready in the wings are Shivam Dube and Vijay Shankar, who haven’t proven a lot of promise in the restricted alternatives in they’ve. On the different hand, in the home circuit, one can assume of Kamlesh Nagarkoti — who’s harm inclined and hasn’t performed a first-class match but, or former Mumbai Indians recruit Digvijay Deshmukh. The latter has just one first-class match to his title however can bowl fast.
For now, taking a look at these prospects, India must wait longer and solely hope that one of these gamers realise their true potential and set the home league on hearth, to finally make it to the Indian workforce. Having stated that, it will be too early to set expectations on these gamers, who’re even struggling to make it to their home groups for numerous causes.
But in the meantime, India ought to look to put money into Shardul, who must be groomed as an all-rounder. The latter confirmed super functionality with the bat, in difficult situations in opposition to the Aussies final yr at the Gabba along with his 60-odd. His performances with the bat may change India’s fortunes in abroad situations, the place they endure on account of their workforce mixture of two spinners — R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, with the latter most popular for his batting capacity.
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