A seam bowler who can also bat is the crucial ingredient missing on Team India’s overseas assignments, feels former England captain Nasser Hussain. Given the circumstances, someone like a Ben Stokes or a Cameron Green could provide the winning formula for Rohit Sharma’s team.
India lost their second consecutive World Test Championship (WTC) final to Australia recently and Hussain said that Rishabh Pant was being sorely missed by India, hoping that the wicketkeeper-batter returns to the side sooner rather than later as he is a “massive miss at the moment”.
“They (India) are brilliant at home... and the balance of their side at home is just wonderful,” Hussain said in the ICC Review on Wednesday.
“(However) An Indian cricketer at the moment, a (Ben) Stokes type cricketer, a Cameron Green type cricketer, a Mitchell Marsh type cricketer, a batter at No.6 or No.7, away from home, that can bowl you 10 or 15 overs of genuine wicket-taking seam and swing, not a bowler who bats a bit, a batter who can give you 10 overs of seam bowling, and then that balance away from home makes them (India) formidable.”
The former England captain added that, in home conditions, players like captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and young Shubman Gill make India a formidable unit, but overseas a seam-bowling all-rounder like Hardik Pandya is an absolute necessity in Tests.
Pandya, while not officially retired from Tests, has shown little inclination to play the longest format since he returned from a career-threatening back injury.
“They’ve (India) got senior players like Rohit and obviously Virat and they are just world-class players and they’ve got youngsters coming in, like Shubman (Gill), who’s going to be a superstar.
“It’s away from home and the balance of the side and if they (India) can get a seam bowling all-rounder. Hardik (Pandya) would’ve been perfect if Hardik had stayed fit and continued that process,” said Hussain.
Hussain also felt that if pacer Jasprit Bumrah can return fit and strong it will give a massive boost to India in all three formats of the game. Bumrah, after being out of action for more than a year due to a back injury, will be leading India in a three-match T20I series against Ireland beginning August 18.
