India’s rotation policy a boost for youth: Zaheer
MUMBAI: Former India pacer Zaheer Khan has backed the team management’s rotational policy. He believes it lays the perfect platform to build a world-class side and motivates youngsters at the right time in their career.
“You have about 10-15 bowlers who you can say are going to push each other, and that’s very important for any team to be successful. It’s important all the bowlers think in the fashion that they have to be ready,” he said in an interview during a promotional event on Monday. “If the bowlers who are playing at the highest level are consistent for the longest time, you kind of get into that zone thinking perhaps you don’t have a chance of playing. Then, when you do get a chance, you’re not ready.”
In the T20 series against South Africa, India went in with a bowling line-up thin on experience with the likes of Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini and Washington Sundar. The move didn’t give India the desired result, but Khan looked at the bigger picture. “There are things which happen in terms of creating a pool of players. If you have a great talent coming through, he needs to be motivated at the right time as well. (Spinner) Krunal Pandya and Sundar got the opportunity. (Spinner) Rahul Chahar has had a good domestic season, so that is something that needs to be encouraged as well.”
While the current India pace attack has evolved as a worldclass unit, the management is yet to find a left-arm pacer who can cement his spot and add variety to the squad. It didn’t bother India’s fifth highest Test wickettaker. “There was a time when you had three-four left-arm pacers playing in a match. That’s something not in your control, but that time it wasn’t like ‘oh! We need a right-armer’. If a bowler is good and is staking claim then he should be part of it. It’s good to have that added variation, but it’s not a must.”
He also heaped praise on the current lot, saying that the experience of Ishant Sharma has helped him evolve as a pace bowler while the art of using the seam has helped Mohammed Shami to excel across formats. Shami, who has had issues with injuries, did not miss a single game last season and Khan said his hunger to stay in the mix, come back stronger and compete with for a place in the side was impressive.
Lauding Jasprit Bumrah, he said: “They’ve been using him in short bursts. Bumrah is an exceptional talent, no doubt about it and it’s great to have an X-factor bowler in your side who can have that kind of an impact on the game.”