Opinion: Lack of multiple skill set players is hurting India
In the recently concluded 4th ODI, team India got back on track and posted 377/5 on the scoreboard and in reply Windies could afford only 153. Rohit Sharma played a brilliant innings helping himself to his 21st ODI ton and Rayudu also cemented his place at number 4 with his 3rd ODI hundred.
This win shadowed the one-off poor batting performance of the Indian batting line-up but the defeat in the 3rd ODI certainly raised a much-needed alarm as that only showed the poor secondary skill-sets of the squad. By no means am I talking about all-rounders as they consistently deliver with both bat and ball. I am talking about the players having two skill sets with one being primary and other being secondary (just for as and when required).
Currently, India is having the batsmen who can't bowl and the other way around also. While other teams like England, New Zealand and South Africa are having batsmen till number 10, India's lower order batting is not much to brag about. In the perfect playing XI, the mainstay bowlers are Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Jasprit Bumrah and we all know how well the lower order can bat.
Kohli also admitted the fact that it is difficult to maintain the balance without Hardik Pandya and as a matter of fact, Kedar Jadhav was drafted into the side as soon as he was available. Jadhav gave the much-needed balance to the team. His short innings gave the momentum at the end and his bowling was not needed as the main bowlers did the trick in the fourth ODI.
A fit Jadhav is always a good option but going by his recent injury streak, there seems to be a doubt too. Also, Jadhav's inclusion pushes players like KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant to the bench and both the mentioned players have to sit out as they are lacking the secondary skill set.
Even after Jadhav's immediate inclusion, the concern remains the same as India don't have trusted batsmen in the lower-middle order. Once India lose 7 wickets, it's almost certain that India have to go for saving the wickets or get all-out. Currently, with the likes of Bumrah, Chahal and Kuldeep making it to the side on the basis of their strong bowling credibility, their failings in the other department has been overlooked.
While Pandya is recovering from injury, no one has been able to fill the vacant spot and the team management would not be too happy about it.
Bowling department also shows the same concern but Jadhav's entry in the playing XI calmed things a bit. Although his services were not needed today, he was available in case anything like 3rd ODI would have emerged.
What's next?
A decade ago, India had the services of players such as Sehwag, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Yuvraj who were more than handy with the ball. In the current squad also we have some players like Kohli, Rohit who has also taken hat-trick in IPL who can contribute to the team as and when needed but they'll need to try these options before the World Cup.
The situation is more severe as the next crop of Indian cricket team also lacks to skill set players and the BCCI needs to have a serious look on this matter.