Ever since the great Kapil Dev called time on his career, India have been desperately waiting for a cricketer to fill those big boots.
From Ajay Jadeja to Robin Singh and Laxmi Ratan Shukla (played only ODIs) to Ajit Agarkar and from Irfan Pathan to Stuart Binny, India have tried number of players at different times to see if they can unearth among these someone who can fill the void left by the former Indian captain but each of them has flattered to deceive. Though the standards set by the legendary cricketer are difficult to match, even if one can be half as good, it can make a huge difference to the team’s balance.
One of the reasons why India have managed to do well in the last one year or so is because they have played most of their Test matches with five bowlers. The likes of R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, and on a couple of occasions Jayant Yadav, have taken the responsibility upon themselves and made a big difference with the bat.
However, India can depend on Ashwins, Jadejas and Yadavs largely in subcontinent conditions or even in the Caribbean, but in the tougher climes of Australia or South Africa or England, you need someone with more refined batting skills or scoring abilities. And given the nature of the pitches in those countries, a fast-bowling all-rounder can be ideal, someone who provides extra cushion to batting and an extra edge to bowling.
Top teams across the world have one or more fast-bowling all-rounders who help them strike balance in team’s composition. Ben Stokes has been great for England while Mitchell Marsh and Chris Morris have been handy for Australia and South Africa respectively. West Indies’ skipper Jason Holder, a medium pace all-rounder, has been one the few saving graces for his team while New Zealand have been benefitted from Corey Anderson and Jimmy Neesham in helpful conditions.
Hardik Pandya, who has stood out as much for his blonde streaks and studs as for his bowling and batting skills, is the latest to join the long list of “next-Kapil Dev” hopefuls. The Baroda all-rounder, who made a name for himself with his exploits in IPL for the Mumbai Indians, has been impressive in white ball cricket but he is yet to prove his mettle in whites.
The 25-year-old made his debut in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle and made an immediate impact with a breezy half-century besides taking a wicket in just the three overs he got to bowl in the Lankan first innings. The sample size may be too inadequate to pit him as India’s answer to Stokes but skipper Virat Kohli believes Pandya can play the similar role for India as that of the English all-rounder.
“He definitely has,” said Kohli after the first Test when asked if Pandya has answered his many questions. “First innings, he didn’t get opportunity to bowl much but I think in the second innings, he bowled really nicely on a wicket that wasn’t offering much and he kept it in the right areas. He used the bouncer well. He bowls around 135, when he bends his back he can go higher. So he is a great asset and I have mentioned this before as well; especially his batting. Otherwise we would have been 540-550 in the first innings. He got 50 quickly and that saves you time as well. That gives you another 15 overs to bowl at the opposition. And his fielding is also tremendous. I have a lot of faith in him as far as any format is concerned,” he observed.
And Kohli’s belief isn’t without a reason. Pandya is fairly quick with the ball even on slow pitches, has a good bouncer and his batting is compact and courageous. More importantly, he is a reformed individual with his focus firmly on the game. After an India ‘A’ stint with Rahul Dravid, he has emerged as a better individual that is reflected in his cricket. The fact that he didn’t attend a single IPL party during Mumbai Indians’ winning campaign shows he has put his money where his mouth is.
Published 31 July 2017, 19:13 IST