Is it high time to rethink fixation on all-rounders?

Over the last year, the management has preferred multi-skilled players

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

AHEAD of Gautam Gambhir’s first match as coach of the Test team, he questioned India’s obsession with developing a fast-bowling all-rounder. “We have been talking since Kapil Dev’s time that we don’t have a fast-bowling all-rounder,” he said on the eve of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai last September. “If we don’t have it, we don’t have it. If we have it, he has got to develop in first-class cricket.”

In the 14 months since, India not only handed a debut to Nitish Reddy but also played Shardul Thakur ahead of the genuine wicket-takers in different conditions. In essence, the team management disregarded the coach’s own advice.

Last month, Reddy played both Tests against West Indies at home when he wouldn’t necessarily have been a part of the first XI. But the management wanted to groom him for tougher Tests overseas. Before the second game in Delhi, Ryan ten Doeschate had said: “One of the sort of medium-term objectives is to develop a seam-bowling all-rounder for India, because it’s very important when we go away on tours that we have that position covered.

“We didn’t get a very good look at Nitish last week, so I think it’s a very good opportunity to give Nitish another go and not alter the balance of the team.” Across the two matches, he bowled 24 legitimate balls.