Abhishek Nayar, former batsman and current Kolkata Knight Riders assistant coach, has shared his perspective on India’s fast bowling arsenal, highlighting the challenge of finding a bowler who can excel across all three formats. Despite having a pool of talented fast bowlers, Nayar believes India lacks a bowler who can consistently perform in Test matches, ODIs, and T20Is.
The current crop of Indian fast bowlers includes notable names like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Shardul Thakur. In addition, emerging talents like Deepak Chahar, Prasidh Krishna, Umran Malik, Navdeep Saini, and Mukesh Kumar contribute to the team’s strength in the bowling department. However, according to Nayar, there is a need for a bowler who can seamlessly transition between the different formats.
Nayar sees potential in Prasidh Krishna to fill this role if managed effectively. Commenting on Prasidh’s recent return to international cricket after a back injury, Nayar emphasized that the young fast bowler’s desire to play all three formats sets him apart. Prasidh’s performance in Ranji Trophy, ODIs, and IPL has showcased his versatility and commitment to honing his skills across various formats.
Nayar said, “If you see Prasidh Krishna’s graph, you don’t have bowlers like him. You don’t have bowlers who can play all three formats. I feel the selectors and management have always identified him as someone who can do that.”
“He likes to play Ranji Trophy. He enjoys bowling with the red ball. We have already seen how he has bowled in ODIs. We know how he does in T20s based on the IPL. He is a bowler who wants to play all three formats, and it’s not that he wants to play only ODIs or T20Is,” he added.
Workload management remains a critical concern for fast bowlers in contemporary cricket. Nayar highlighted the challenges posed by the Indian Premier League (IPL), where players are exposed to an intense schedule with minimal recovery time. This demanding schedule often requires players to skip series to recover, raising questions about long-term sustainability and the ability to consistently perform across all formats.
Nayar’s observations underscore the need for strategic workload management and smart utilization of bowlers like Prasidh Krishna and Jasprit Bumrah, who have the potential to be impactful in all formats. The balance between maximizing performance and safeguarding players’ physical well-being becomes crucial in achieving this balance.
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Nayar further added, “Can that workload be managed? I always have one question for an Indian fast bowler whether the workload management can happen because our fast bowlers play the IPL. When you play the IPL, and you are playing 14 games and could be plus two or three, it means you are not getting an off-season.”
“So I feel that Prasidh Krishna or Jasprit Bumrah, your three-format players, have to be looked after to a level where he can play all formats, but when are you going to use him, and in which tournaments are you going to use him and how smartly are you going to use him, and that for me is the key,” he added.
As India’s fast bowling talent develops, Nayar’s insights shed light on the complexities of nurturing bowlers who can excel across Test matches, ODIs, and T20Is. Prasidh Krishna’s return to the international scene and his eagerness to contribute across formats presents an exciting prospect for India’s cricketing future.
