These five players could answer captain Kohli’s call for the sixth bowler

In the post-match presentation, after India’s 66-run humiliating defeat at the hands of hosts Australia in the first ODI at Sydney, Virat rued the lack of an all-rounder who could act as the sixth bowler for the Indian team. He compared India's situation to that of Australia saying that the hosts have the luxury of having Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell in their side who could always turn up for 5-6 overs on any of the main bowler’s off day. 

India’s problems have been magnified mainly because the well-groomed all-rounder, Hardik Pandya could not bowl and Kohli acknowledged that too. 

“We'll have to find out ways of getting a few overs from a few part-timers in the side. Unfortunately, Hardik is not ready to bowl yet so we have to accept that and work around it. That is an area we have looked at, which is a very big part of any team balance. Stoinis and Glenn (Maxwell) do it for Australia,” he said. 

Even Pandya himself said that India needs to groom all-rounders to further strengthen the bench strength and give skipper Kohli, options, till the time he has not gained full fitness to bowl. 

"Even when I came into the circuit, I was not always the all-rounder which I wanted to be. But with time I groomed myself and became that bowling option. I worked on my bowling,” Pandya said in a post-match press conference. 

The 27-year-old even suggested some names, one that of his brother Krunal itself. “…maybe you can name it who all are there… maybe we should look in the Pandya family only," he said. 

But Krunal Pandya is not the only option and everyone is aware of it. There are many in the Indian domestic circuit, who could bat good enough and can also bowl those 5-7 overs in the middle of an ODI game or 1-2 overs in T20Is. 

Here is a list.

Hanuma Vihari

For a few people, Hanuma Vihar could be an unusual choice given the sense we are looking for all-rounders, but we are essentially looking for a batsman who can bat in the middle order or even for that matter top order and can give us 4-6 overs. 

Ever since the departure of Suresh Raina from the squad and Kedar Jadhav not being considered for his age, there hasn’t been anyone apart from Pandya who could be a genuine batsman and give you those quick overs in the middle. In the teams of the previous generation, led by MS Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly, there were always, the Yuvraj Singhs, the Sachin Tendulkars, Virender Sehwags, and Suresh Rainas who would turn up and give you those important overs in the middle, even get you a wicket or two. 

But they did not get there overnight, it was through net practices only. Vihari, 29, has potential and everybody has seen it. You don’t always need somebody to strike at more than 100 in the ODIs, sometimes inning builders like Vihari could also be the guy who can bat at four and can still give you those good overs in the middle of the innings. 

Vihari so far has played 74 List A games and an equal number of T20s in the domestic circuit. In those games, while he has picked up 42 wickets and bowled around 234 overs, his batting has been as scintillating as it gets. In List A, he has an average of more than 45 and the strike rate is also above 80. Thus Vihari is the ideal candidate for that middle order birth, or the number four that India has been searching for, quite some time.  

Vijay Shankar

Vijay Shankar is a tried and tested product. He has the numbers behind his back to argue his case. The only problem is his big match temperament. He has not had the success that was expected from him when he was given the chance at first. With an average of more than 38 in List A and in higher 20s in T20s, Shankar would be the right man to play number six, if Pandya plays as a pure batsman at five and KL Rahul pushed to number four in place of Iyer. 

Shankar is the genuine all-rounder who could very easily give the team 5-7 overs, in the middle as he has done for his state team Tamil Nadu. In List A he has 54 wickets in 74 games with an average of around 35, in T20s too, he has a good enough profile to fill the all-rounder’s column with 30 wickets in 53 innings that he has bowled in. 

Axar Patel

The Gujarati guy (economical in his bowling) is another one who could solve the puzzle of the sixth bowler for team India. He is not someone who can just handle the willow, rather he has the power to win you crunch games with the bat in hand. Surely he can’t give you a spell-like 4/40 in 10, but for that, the team has five specialist bowlers. Axar would be the buffer or the transition bowler, which the captain could use on off days for some bowlers or purely in the middle overs to tighten the noose. 

He can surely bat at six, as he does for his domestic team and the Indian team can play both Rahul and Iyer by making Rahul open the innings, and if Rohit comes, then choose between the two. With Axar coming in, Jadeja could also be asked to work more on his batting and deliver at times of emergency. 

He further comes off a successful IPL exploit, hitting 117 runs at a strike rate of over 135 and picking 9 wickets at a miserly economy of 6.4.

Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar is yet another player who could be entrusted to bat in the middle and give those 5-7 tight overs in the middle of the innings. He showed his capabilities with the ball in the recently concluded IPL, and his bat has done all the talking in domestic cricket. 

True that he couldn’t do well in the limited opportunities that he got with the bat in IPL, but players, especially all-rounders are not made in a day, you got to give them time and back them up real nice, to be able to unleash their full potential. 

Sundar, right from his U-19 days has been a potential lower-order batsman. He has hit a hundred in the first-class showing that he has the caliber and the potential to play long hauls, so in case Pandya plays at five, Sundar can always get on with the bat at six and play the cameos. His tight bowling has always worked wonders for him and the team.

Harshal Patel

The Haryana all-rounder is another prospect, who is similar to Shankar. But Harshal is more of a bowling all-rounder, although he has off late batted as high as an opener in domestic cricket. In last year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the 30-year-old Patel was the fourth-highest run-getter with 374 runs at an average of 31 and at a strike rate of more than 165. In the same tournament, he was also the joint second-highest wicket-taker with 19 scalps from 12 innings, averaging near about 16. 

In his overall career, Harshal has stood out in the limited opportunities that he has got. The Sanand born has 11 fifties to his kitty and is a more than good enough batter to bat at seven, after Jadeja, if Pandya plays as a pure batsman. He would also open a way to play Kuldeep because he can give you the full 10 overs as well, thanks to the 400 domestic wickets that he boasts of. 

The Other Options

The likes of Krunal Pandya that the junior Pandya mentioned are also similar to an Axar Patel or Washington Sundar. But, his out of form touch, as was evident in the recently concluded IPL, means that senior Pandya is not part of the top of contestants. But as and when he finds his touch with both bat and bowl, he surely can be an option. Similar is the case with Shivam Dube. Deepak Hooda though is another option who could be tried but for his on and off performances. 

While Someone like Kamlesh Nagarkoti or Shivam Mavi are pure bowling all-rounders and they need to prove their mettle with the bat. They have the time in their favour and can work on their skills in the meantime.

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