India’s 1-3 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 exposed the weaknesses of the team’s batting and bowling. While the flop show of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in batting has put the team management in the circle of difficult questions, the problem of Jasprit Bumrah not getting competent support in the bowling department has raised concerns over the future of Indian cricket.
Bowling: need for change
In the bowling department, the Indian team does not seem to have options of the level of experienced fast bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma. The current bowlers like Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Mukesh Kumar have not performed effectively so far. Even after 36 Tests, Siraj has not been able to become a bowler who can change the course of the match, while Prasidh Krishna has failed in consistency of line-length.
Lack of left-arm fast bowlers is a big problem in the Ranji circuit too. Arshdeep Singh and Khaleel Ahmed have been effective in limited overs, but their performance in Test cricket has not been satisfactory. At the same time, T Natarajan has been unable to play regularly due to injuries.
Batting: Possible options ready
There are some strong options in batting for the near future. If it is decided to drop Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the team or they themselves retire, then the selectors have the names of many young batsmen available. The most prominent name among these is B. of Tamil Nadu. SAI belongs to Sudarshan, who is a technically sound and talented batsman. However, Sai Sudarshan is currently undergoing rehabilitation after sports hernia surgery.
Other options include Devdutt Padikkal and Abhimanyu Easwaran. However, Padikkal does not have much experience in Tests, and Easwaran is not considered ready for big challenges in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries. At the same time, Sarfaraz Khan’s weakness against fast bowlers is a big hurdle.
three main contenders
- Ruturaj Gaikwad: Technically strong and known for consistency.
- Rajat Patidar: This player, who has three Test experience, has impressed in the domestic circuit.
- Shreyas Iyer: Mumbai batsman and experienced middle order player, who can provide stability to the team.
