3 best all-format bowlers for Team India right now
Team India have commenced 2023 with a limited-overs assignment against Sri Lanka. On the back of a calendar year in which nothing went right for them, the Men in Blue are under pressure to step up their game.
India's bowlers have been inconsistent of late. With several premier men missing out with injuries, inexperienced names have had to take on increased responsibility at the international level. While some have delivered, others haven't been able to put the pieces together.
All-format bowlers will probably soon become a thing of the past, given the packed cricketing calendar and the unique demands of each format, but a few select names have managed to tailor their game according to the situation.
Here are Team India's three best all-format bowlers right now.
Players who narrowly missed out: Kuldeep Yadav (hasn't played enough matches of late), Mohammad Shami (has become an afterthought in T20Is), Ravichandran Ashwin (hasn't played ODIs in a while), Ravindra Jadeja (sub-par in limited-overs cricket), Shardul Thakur (inconsistent)
#3 Axar Patel
With Ravindra Jadeja missing large swathes of 2022 due to injury, Axar Patel has been asked to play a majority of India's assignments. The left-arm spinner has been in the setup across formats and has performed decently with the ball.
In 2022, Axar scalped 11 wickets in three Tests at an average of 22.27, with his overall average in the format reading an incredible 14.3. Yes, those figures are skewed by him playing almost all of his matches at home, but you can't take away from how accurate he has been.
Axar played eight ODIs in the year as well, returning 10 wickets at 4.39. The left-arm spinner was among India's most active players in the shortest format, picking up 21 wickets in 22 matches at 8.17. He has his limitations, but he has been a fairly reliable performer for the Men in Blue.
#2 Mohammed Siraj
This one might be a bit of a surprise. Even a year ago, Mohammed Siraj was nowhere near a stage where he could be considered one of India's best all-format bowlers. But after a promising 2022 in which he took several steps in the right direction, the fast bowler is close to becoming a mainstay in the side.
Siraj's Test returns were slightly underwhelming, with an average in the high 30s. His consistency has left a lot to be desired at times, but he has made important contributions in red-ball cricket. In the limited-overs formats, though, the 28-year-old has been great.
Siraj played 15 ODIs in 2022, recording 24 wickets at 4.61. For the first time in his career, he also emerged as an all-phase bowler, sending down yorkers and being penetrative with the new ball. This was reflected in the pacer's shortest-format returns - seven wickets in four matches at 6.69.
#1 Jasprit Bumrah
Was there ever any doubt as to who'd be #1 on this list? Jasprit Bumrah, probably the best in the world, is definitely India's best all-format bowler. Do we even need to delve into his numbers?
A Test average of 21.99, an ODI average of 24.3 and a T20I average of 20.22 over a total sample size of 162 innings say enough. Bumrah has missed a few assignments lately with injuries, and India have clearly felt his absence. There's simply no replacement for the lead speedster, whose return will be eagerly watched when India and Sri Lanka face off in the upcoming three-match ODI series.