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The ‘GG era’ of versatility where Indian Cricket is trading craft for convenience

Soumyajit Dutta

Gautam Gambhir [Source: AFP Photos]Gautam Gambhir [Source: AFP Photos]

Let's just say that cricket is now a game that requires stars, well, superstars, in every niche, be it batting, bowling, or fielding. Is it wrong to have such demands? Absolutely not. Everyone loves the good old "jack of all trades"!

Yes, all-rounders. All-rounders who can dominate both the batting and bowling spheres with almost equal proficiency, and if we look at the current scenario of Indian cricket, of course, under the GG (Gautam Gambhir) era, it simply looks like the BCCI think tank and the Indian cricket team is largely dependent on that particular chunk of players.

There's no harm in thinking of an 'all-weather' player in cricket. What can be better than having someone who can take care of both the departments and fortify the middle and lower-middle order? However, the obsession of India with this fact is silently harming the quality craftsmen with the ball, or more effectively, the quality pacers.

"... master of none..."

If we look at the current landscape of Indian cricket, we will see a rocky pool of genuine pace or spin specialists. Surprisingly, the quality pacers that India is currently playing with are Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, and arguably Harshit Rana, who remains a work in progress.

Well, while it is understandable that T20I cricket is something that requires greater batting depth, given the modern demands of the game, all-rounders are helpful. But what about ODI and Test cricket? The fixation of BCCI selectors with 'versatility' now sees players like Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy replacing quality spinners like Kuldeep Yadav in Test cricket.

Quality pacers? Except for those handful mentioned above, the Men in Blue seriously suffer from a lack of 'raw pace and swing' ability. Bumrah, Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna clock at 140 kmph occasionally but average at 135. But what is seriously concerning is where are the golden days of raw pace threats like Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma?

Countries like Australia, or even Pakistan, do not boast that overly passionate favouritism for all-rounders... Pace threat? Check. Quality spinners in Playing XI? Check. 

Then what's wrong with India? Are the selectors prioritising batting over bowling? It seems so from the perspective of a regular cricket fan who has seen the golden eras of lost gems like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and even an underappreciated Umesh Yadav.

Surprisingly, not only quality bowlers but this Darwinian selection policy of 'survival-of-the-best if not the ‘fittest’' on the field somehow transpired to some 'specialist batters' as well, as seen in the case of Rinku Singh, who warmed the bench in the entire Asia Cup tournament until he came in to bat in the final as an injury replacement.

Probably this is why unpolished gems like Umran Malik, the pace prodigy, who clocked in a record 157 kmph in IPL, are still sitting out in rehab and are lacking attention, which could nurture them into probable beasts with the ball. This is the reason why a top-quality spinner like Kuldeep Yadav still faces selection doubts even after proving himself quite a number of times.

"...but oftentimes better than a master of one"?

Is this obsession with all-rounders doing any good to Indian cricket? Perhaps yes, perhaps not entirely. While quality bowlers or specialist batters are missing out, it is also true that all-rounders strengthen the chances of a team's win with a much more well-rounded arsenal. In some cases, like Shivam Dube, a decent power-hitter can also turn into a quality pace bowler with proper mentoring, even if not with the pace that is required from a top-ranked bowler.

The debate can continue all day long with examples from other countries that still believe in having the best rather than playing it ‘safe’, but it really boils down to one point… Why should quality cricketers lose their place in the Playing XI to all-rounders? Is it really a transition of cricket? 

Within a few years, shall we see a game where everyone bats and everyone bowls, where the real, raw craft from the days of purists will be missing?