The Indian cricket team is in a good space at the moment as a lot of the emerging talent have been able to prove their mark in the team. Players are now understanding the importance of batting in addition to being bowlers as a lot of all-rounders are now bursting onto the scene. This means that there is a lot of scope for all-rounders in the team. Here are five alternate all-rounding options India has apart from the likes of Pandya and Jadeja:
Axar Patel:
The lanky spinner is known for taking wickets with his spin bowling, but he is also a good option if India are looking for an all-rounder. He has the ability to hit a few big ones even though he comes a little later down the order.
Axar Patel is not a very explosive batsman but he can rotate the strike and ensure he doesn’t lose his wicket when necessary.
Ravichandran Ashwin:
Ashwin is another player who has always stolen the limelight for being an excellent bowler. He has remained in the top Test bowler rankings for years and is also considered one of the best all-rounders in the team.
He has excellent temperament and his centuries in international cricket prove that he is no slouch with the bat. India will hope he stays fit and batting for years to come.
Krunal Pandya:
The elder brother of Hardik is another one who could be bought into the squad in case there is a need for an all-rounder. Krunal is a great batsman, especially in the limited overs format but he is also a decent off-break bowler.
Krunal Pandya has been working hard to try and get himself into the Indian squad and it will be fun to see both the brothers performing in Indian colours at some point of time in the future.
Karn Sharma:
The UP-based bowler is another one who has the ability to be useful as both a batsman and a bowler for the team. He has proven credentials as an all-rounder and India will look to get him into the squad if needed.
He has represented the country before, so there might come a time when he is recalled to the squad as an all-rounder.
Stuart Binny:
Probably one of the least successful fast bowling all-rounders India have had, Stuart Binny will need to up his game if he wants to remain in contention with regards to international cricket. He has the talent but is not able to use it at the highest level.
Binny, surprisingly has one of the greatest stats for a bowler in international cricket, after picking up 6-4 against Bangladesh in an ODI match a few years back.
By Rohit Nair
