The dictionary says transition means ‘the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another’. This word is applied often in sports, when the baton passes to the next generation or the next winner. Of late, ‘transition’ has been the most-used word in Indian cricket.
The team is indeed going through a phase when it has to zero in on players for the future, considering that several from the current set-up are unlikely to be around after two or three years. To prepare a team worthy of vying for the World Test Championship (WTC) title, reinforcements are necessary, sooner rather than later.
Transition is a painstaking process, involving trials and errors, stories of heartbreak and dreams coming true. If not handled with care, the outcome can be detrimental. The process has started in the West Indies. Yashasvi Jaiswal opening with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill asking for the No. 3 slot, the captain voicing preference for a left-right opening combo, inclusion in the XI of Ishan Kishan — changes in batting and keeping have dominated headlines.
In comparison, less discussed is the force which carried India to two successive WTC finals. In the two previous cycles, India did not win any notable Test series abroad, other than in Australia. But even in England, South Africa and New Zealand, the fast bowlers made their mark. India’s home record is tremendous thanks to the spinners. In winning 22 of 35 matches, losing nine and drawing four in the last two cycles, the fast bowlers and spinners played perfectly the roles assigned to them.
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As mission transition begins, the priority should be a pool of bowlers. Dropping Umesh Yadav and bringing in Navdeep Saini with Mukesh Kumar is the first step. Mohammed Siraj, Jaydev Unadkat and Shardul Thakur are playing the first Test. With Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna recovering from injuries, there is this younger lot of Avesh Khan, Shivam Mavi and Arshdeep Singh. Add Mohammed Shami, and it is a formidable bunch. But there will be injuries and not all will be available at the same time.
Plus, Shami is aging and there will always be a question mark over the fitness of Bumrah, who is 29. Not all picked for the Caribbean tour are long-term solutions either. Siraj and Mukesh are 29, the other three 30 or more. Age is no bar alright, but it is a factor when it comes to bowling fast. This means identifying five or six who are good enough against the top teams, a tough ask at the moment. The existing set-up can’t be overhauled because there are not many youngsters ready for the big stage. It can’t be retained in full because of reasons ranging from ability to fitness.
The situation is different from a few years back, when India had Bumrah, Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Siraj and Shardul joined the gang later. The role played by them was immense, even at home where they got early breakthroughs on turning tracks. But as things stand now, the selectors will have to forge ahead with some of what they have, and scout for new faces at the same time.
As far as spin goes, no one can answer, ‘Who after R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja?’ This is not to imply they are past their sell-by dates. Actually, both look good to carry on and appear to be at the top of their craft. But it’s also time for the selectors to look for back-ups. Axar Patel is the second left-arm spinner. In domestic cricket, Dharmendra Sinh Jadeja of Saurashtra and Uttar Pradesh’s Saurabh Kumar have done well. So this cupboard is not empty.
The same can’t be said of off-spin. Ashwin is an all-time great, but the team will eventually need another off-spinner. Pulkit Narang who plays for Services has drawn attention, and should come through the India A team if Ajit Agarkar and company are serious about him. And since the selectors have never shown interest in the likes of Jalaj Saxena of Kerala or Vidarbha’s Akshay Wakhare, the scary truth is there is hardly any off-spinner who can be called one for the future.
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