Lack of batters who can bowl has become a big problem for India, feels Aakash Chopra

With their semi-final exit in the recent T20 World Cup, the lack of bowling options in the team has been a topic of discussion amongst cricket fans. The primary reason for this has been the specialist batter’s inability to bowl part-time and provide a few overs. The issue was again highlighted ahead of the second ODI between India and New Zealand. 

Ahead of the game, captain Shikhar Dhawan revealed that they are replacing Sanju Samson with Deepak Hooda in the playing XI to have a sixth bowling option in the line-up. Sharing his views on the selection dilemma faced by the team, Aakash Chopra opined that the lack of batters who can bowl part-time has become a big problem for the team.

"Why do our batters don't bowl? The likes of Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, and Sachin Tendulkar used to bowl but now no one bowls. The batters have completely stopped bowling in the nets, they either bat or field and then they leave. So it is a big problem," he said on his YouTube channel.

Chopra also pointed out the reason behind the lack of part-time bowlers in the Indian team. 

"Now the Indian team takes four net bowlers along with them everywhere and then there are two who throw with the side-arm. So the bowlers' batting is improving because they bat against the side-armers, both the batters and bowlers are doing the same thing,” he explained.