Seniors' Absence Shows Impact
The Indian Test team actually became weaker once Ashwin, Rohit, and Kohli retired from Tests. The team management thought they were too old, out of form, or both. But the recent Test series against South Africa proved that the team missed their experience. Kohli and Rohit, who played well in the ODI series, proved their worth. Their batting and game awareness helped the team. Fans felt Ro-Koh retired too early and some wanted them back in the Test team. Meanwhile, doubts about their continuing in ODIs till the 2027 World Cup have been cleared. This discussion is unlikely to last long.
Pace Attack Faces Challenges
India had once a good pace attack, comprising Shami, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar, and Siraj. They used to create confidence-threatening opponents regularly. Then Bhuvi and Shami left for which the bowling department became weak, and Bumrah used to miss the matches on factual grounds of fitness. Siraj does well abroad, but in the recent ODI series, the workload of Siraj fell on Arshdeep, Paridhi, and Harshit Rana. They conceded many runs in the first two matches. They managed to do better on the third day. This series has cropped up a broader need to identify and train young fast bowlers for international cricket.
The role of All-Rounders needs to be made clear.
- All-rounders can give teams the flexibility to include an additional batsman or bowler in their line-up. However, when an all-rounder isn't skilled enough in both trades, it only restricts team strength. In the recent Test series, Washington Sundar did a good job with the bat, but struggled in bowling, while Nitish Kumar Reddy did well on both fronts. In ODIs, Sundar was far from proficient in both. Teams should either field specialist players or groom only proper all-rounders.
- Potential of Yashasvi Jaiswal Yashasvi Jaiswal has done well in the IPL for a few years now. He can play aggressively and scores quickly. Despite three IPL centuries, he was mostly limited to Tests, played only one ODI, and 23 T20Is. In the recent ODI series, due to Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer’s unavailability, he got a chance. His first two scores were low, but he scored a strong century in the third match. He showed maturity, built innings well, and partnered effectively with seniors like Rohit and Kohli. That performance suggested he can succeed in ODIs and T20s. However, once Shubman and Shreyas return, the competition will be high.
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