As India braces itself for a red-ball reboot following an extensive period of short-form cricket, the 2024 Duleep Trophy seeks to set the stage for the forthcoming stretch of 10 Test matches over the next four and a half months. Beginning on September 5, the tournament will witness the crème de la crème of India’s domestic talent getting acclimated to the nuances of long-format cricket while simultaneously striving to make a lasting impression.
In most departments, the Indian Test team appears fairly settled, including the backup options. However, the area that remains a subject of intense scrutiny is fast bowling, the most precarious aspect of their gameplay. Mohammed Shami’s injury and his extended recovery, nearly a year after his last notable performance at the ODI World Cup, have necessitated the search for a reliable third seamer. Initially, Mukesh Kumar seemed poised to fill this role during the Tests against England earlier this year. However, an underwhelming show in Visakhapatnam led to his replacement by Akash Deep, who delivered a more impactful performance in his singular Test outing.
However, the mantle of becoming India’s firmly established third or fourth seam option remains unclaimed, and attention will inevitably focus on this during the Duleep Trophy. Alongside Mukesh and Akash, several other pacers are contending for this spot. Prasidh Krishna, who had to miss the recently concluded Maharaja T20 Trophy due to injury, will sit out the Duleep Trophy’s opening match as well.
Other prospective candidates include Khaleel Ahmed, who is yet to solidify his credentials in the red-ball format, and Avesh Khan, who has been consistently knocking on the selection door. Additionally, players like Yash Dayal, Vidwath Kaverappa, and Vyshak Vijaykumar have excelled in domestic competitions but are awaiting opportunities at the international level. Noteworthy names in this competitive mix also include Sandeep Warrier, Tushar Deshpande, Harshit Rana, and Navdeep Saini, all of whom bring distinct skills to the table.
Considering the array of options available, the selectors and team management face a challenging task over the next five months. They’ll need to identify pacers who can perform well in India, offer something unique in Australia, and potentially secure spots for the long run.
Paras Mhambrey, India’s bowling coach until the successful T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year, sees an opportunity for a detailed evaluation. “There’s quite a lot of Test cricket here. You will require a pool of bowlers to last the 10 Test matches that India are playing because at some point you’d have to rest Bumrah or Siraj. It’s good to see that some of them are in the reckoning or close to selection,” he said in an interview with Cricbuzz.
Mhambrey elaborates on the specifics of what the selectors will be examining. “Minutely, look at how these bowlers perform in different phases. On flatter wickets, how do they manage in the third or fourth spell? It gives a very clear picture in terms of fitness, understanding, and reading of the game. These bowlers are in different phases of their careers. So, going ahead, you can shortlist six or seven quality fast bowlers you can rely on and rotate. Remember, this is only red-ball cricket, and most of them will also be playing in shorter formats,” Mhambrey adds.
Compiling this pool will require meticulous effort, and with 17 frontline pacers across four Duleep Trophy teams, the selectors have their work cut out. In the conditions offered by Bengaluru and Anantpur, team management and captains might be hesitant to load their line-ups with more than two fast bowlers. Nonetheless, rotation remains a possibility, aligning with the senior team’s requirements. Moreover, adjustments could be made based on specific requests during the tournament.
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“If you feel a particular bowler fits in the scheme of things, I’m sure the selectors could have a word with the captains. It’s a personal kind of conversation, right? ‘Potentially, I would like to see him bowl in this phase, so let him bowl maybe after Lunch or at the end of the day’s play for four or five overs.’ That will happen as the game progresses. It’s nice to see a lot of international-level batsmen participating as well, so if a bowler picks wickets here, it propels them closer to selection,” Mhambrey explains.
Another crucial layer to the selection process is identifying pacers for challenging tours ahead. Mhambrey is already eyeing the tour to England next year, though the more immediate focus will be the tour to Australia in just over two months. Out of the 17 bowlers in contention, only Navdeep Saini has prior red-ball experience in those conditions.
“In India, you are unlikely to play more than two seamers because of the nature of the wickets. I don’t know how the new staff will approach it, but here you’ll deal with black soil, low bounce, and reverse swing. So, you’d look at bowlers who have pace and can utilize reverse swing,” Mhambrey notes.
“For Australia, the Kookaburra ball is different. You need to make use of the 30-35 overs with the newish ball to pick wickets. You’ll want someone who can deliver during this period. Having a bowler with bounce is crucial, which is why I’m keen to see how someone like Prasidh shapes up. If he has a great Duleep Trophy, he becomes a distinctive third seamer option. After the 30-35 overs, it does get flat, and you need someone with a unique skill set,” he continues.
Prasidh Krishna, the 28-year-old Karnataka pacer, is currently recovering from a quadriceps injury and will miss the Duleep Trophy’s opening game. Yet, he was part of Team A’s training group led by Shubman Gill ahead of the first match. His participation in subsequent games remains uncertain.
Extending the selection criteria further, Mhambrey is also in pursuit of a viable left-arm pace option. Khaleel, Dayal, and Arshdeep are all set to be part of the tournament, and Mhambrey acknowledges the potential for nurturing them. “I want to see three or four left-arm pacers integrated into the India scheme of things. One of them could offer a different angle,” he says.
For immediate selection needs, such as the series against Bangladesh, current form may serve as the most fundamental differentiator. “Form is vital. For players like Avesh and Khaleel, who have been around for a while, stellar form could mean they are considered as the third or fourth seamer,” Mhambrey adds.
He cites Akash Deep’s selection for the England series by Ajit Agarkar, based on his performances against the England Lions earlier. The bowler himself had expressed surprise at the call-up. Thus, instant dividends are up for grabs for those making an immediate impact.