ICC World T20 | Problem of plenty with pace attack, reckons R Sridhar

Never before in Indian cricketing history has the nation had such a competent pace attack and the ability to field three separate bowling lineups, each with more potential than the other. Traditionally a country that has struggled to develop seamers owing to the spin-friendly pitches and conditions in the subcontinent, the Indian Premier League has flipped the scenario by allowing youngsters to develop at rapid rates and compete against the world's elite. No wonder then that a total of 11 bowlers have been given a chance to prove their salt in T20Is since last year's disastrous World T20 campaign where India bowed out in the Super 12 stage itself.

Of late in the ongoing season, the Indian side has featured the likes of Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh. While Khan has struggled so far in the international arena, Patel'swicket-taking abilities have been overshadowed by his extravagant economy rate. Perhaps the only bowler with a practical chance of pushing for a place in the squad at the moment is Singh, who in four games has six wickets with an economy of 6.51. He might replace Shami who is yet to play a single T20I since the World Cup, but Sridhar thinks otherwise. 

"And we have Shami, who will come up with the new ball and ask a lot of questions to the best opening batters in the world. So you can bowl Bhuvi and Shami twice and now that Hardik is bowling and Jadeja is an all-rounder, we have the fifth and sixth bowler covered. When it is the World Cups you need the big boys to go in and play and these are the three as far as fast bowling is concerned and backed by another big boy in Hardik,” he concluded on the matter.