Rohan Chowdhury, Lord’s
Former England captain Andrew Strauss believes that India’s depth across departments makes them a formidable side, no matter the conditions or opposition. Speaking on the second day of the third Test of the ongoing series between England and India, Strauss reflected on the quality of India’s batting, the complexity of their bowling selections in English conditions, and the leadership promise of Shubman Gill.
Strauss acknowledged the enormous batting reservoir India currently enjoys. “I’m not that surprised, because I think there’s so much depth in Indian cricket now,” he said. “You have to look at the IPL, and you know India Under-19 and whatever. You’ve got so much depth there, and certainly in the batting department.”
He also addressed India’s spin options; a combination that has long served them well in the subcontinental conditions. Strauss said, “I still think Jadeja and Ashwin were a very potent combination, and so to be the sort of support there for Bumrah, and add to both seam bowling and the spin bowling”
When asked about the selection of Kuldeep Yadav and the dilemma of fitting him into the playing XI in English conditions, Strauss offered a measured perspective. “Look, I mean, of course, it’s trying to balance your team for English conditions—always tricky because you need the extra seamer, but then you also need a spinner as well,” he explained. “That’s why we’re lucky with Ben Stokes—he gives us that balance in the team. But, you know, the Indian bowling lineup has looked pretty potent at times.”
The conversation naturally turned toward Shubman Gill, and his leadership role so far in the series. Strauss was full of praise for the young captain’s technical prowess and temperament. “Just a quality player, you know, a fantastic technician,” Strauss said. “But I also think back to my times when I started the captaincy with England, and that extra responsibility really helps your batting in the early stages. Maybe towards the back end it becomes more difficult, but right at the moment, he’s in that sweet spot. I suppose he’s just got to ride the wave and enjoy it.”
On the broader question of how international cricket is evolving in terms of player roles across formats, Strauss acknowledged the growing specialisation but emphasised the continued value of quality batters. “I definitely feel in T20 cricket, a number of the batsmen—especially those batting five, six and seven—are probably only going to be facing 15 or 20 balls. So, you’re looking for very different skill sets,” he said.
At the same time, he sees room for classical, all-format batters. “I still think there’s a space for quality batters in all formats,” Strauss noted. “You only have to look at how well Virat Kohli did in the IPL to show that. The likes of Joe Root could play in any format.”
However, the physical and mental toll of modern scheduling cannot be ignored. “The challenge, of course, is to constantly play in all formats, all around the world, never having a break. So, mixing and matching it up is probably a sensible approach.”
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