Let’s not be obsessed with the seam-bowling all-rounder: Gambhir

Jadeja and Ashwin been central to India’s lower-order muscle in Tests.

It’s the start of the Test season in India, a time when Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have commanded substantial column inches in the reportage. Not only are they two of the greatest spinners produced by the country, they’ve also been central to India’s lower-order muscle – a key point of difference in the team’s dominance of home Tests over the last decade. It’s not a luxury that is accorded to the team on the travels, where conditions have forced India to choose between the two and find other ways of playing an extra seamer while simultaneously lengthening their batting order.

Since injuries stalled Hardik Pandya’s career after 11 Tests, India have hoped to land on the next seam-bowling all-rounder, a topic that will be revisited more often in the next few months ahead of the marquee series in Australia. New head coach Gautam Gambhir opined that there was no need to be obsessed with a specific style of player and hoped instead that the country’s first class structure would develop and throw up prospects.

“See, first of all, international cricket is not about developing players. It’s the first class cricket that is there to develop players,” Gambhir said on the eve of the season-opening Chennai Test. “International cricket is all about people coming in and delivering. So we can’t be thinking that if there is no one… we can’t just be thinking, we’ve been talking about it since Kapil Dev that we don’t have a fast bowling all-rounder. If we don’t have it, we don’t have it. If we have it, I think he’s going to get developed in first class cricket. We’ve got a really strong first class structure. And hopefully we can get someone really soon.

“But if we can get someone really soon, great for Indian cricket. If we don’t, then we still have quality all-rounders. We have to manage people like Jadeja, people like Axar [Patel], Ashwin, who’s got five Test hundreds. Washi [Washington Sundar] is there as well. So we’ve got quality all-rounders. So when we keep talking about seam bowling all-rounder, let’s not get obsessed with that as well. Tell me how many international sides have a spin bowling all-rounder? There are not many sides who’ve got a spin bowling all-rounder. India’s got that luxury. So might as well [not] keep thinking about seam bowling all-rounder. Let’s talk about quality, which is important. But if we can get someone, if we can develop someone in first class cricket, it’ll be great for Indian cricket.”

Even with this niggling issue of balance, that India have grown to be a formidable and competitive outfit, home and away, is down to the growth of their bowling attack and its ability to be potent across conditions. Gambhir hailed the unit for enforcing the change of narrative in a batting obsessed country, reserving special praise for Jasprit Bumrah, who he called ‘the best fast bowler in the world.’

“It has not happened many times in India where we started talking about the bowler. I think it has always been about batters, batters and batters,” Gambhir said. “India at one stage was a batting obsessed nation. And you’ve got to give credit to Bumrah, [Mohammed] Shami, [Mohammed] Siraj, Ashwin, Jadeja that now they are turning this intention into a bowling obsessed… not bowling obsessed nation but that we started talking about the bowler.

“Bumrah is the best fast bowler in the world in all the three formats. And it’s [not] just his performance. It’s just his hunger as well. The best part is that he wants to play as much Test cricket as he can. And there is no doubt. I think what he has done in T20 format in West Indies to what he can do in red-ball Cricket, what he did against England. So I feel that yes, it is actually not even a luxury. I think it’s really an honour that we’ve got someone like Bumrah playing for us and sitting in that dressing room. We can make a change, we can make a difference at any stage of the game. So yes, hopefully we can do the same in this series and going forward as well.”

Gambhir, who will begin just his first home assignment since taking over as head coach last month, echoed Rohit Sharma’s assertions from a day prior about the importance of clear messaging to players from the management. While Rohit spoke about the conversations he’s had with the returning KL Rahul, Gambhir said the younger players making way to accommodate players returning from injuries will have to bide their time and be ready to grab chances that will be forthcoming during this lengthy season.

“I think the most important thing is very clear communication. And the clear communication is that we don’t drop anyone. We only select the best playing 11, who we think can do the job in that particular test match,” Gambhir said. “I feel that Jurel is a quality player. He’s done phenomenally well in the last season. What he played against England… played some really crucial knocks under pressure. But again, when Rishabh [Pant] is coming in, obviously he’s done really well. Most of the conditions. So sometimes people will have to wait.

“And someone like Sarfaraz, yes, he’s also done really well. But sometimes you just have to wait for the opportunity and keep working hard, keep doing the right things. Because whenever the opportunity comes in, India has got a really long Test season ahead. So there will be opportunities. So make sure that these guys are ready whenever they get that opportunity. And that is what is called bench strength. Because only 11 can play, fortunately or unfortunately. But more importantly, I think we’ll try and get the best playing 11 on the park every single time.”