Indian captain Rohit Sharma has stated that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami will not be with the Indian team forever and it is crucial for the team management and him to prepare the other players. India has given special importance to building their bench strength in the recent past as a lot of young players have got the opportunity to play in the absence of main players.
In the bowling department, Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan have got their opportunities in the T20I format. Furthermore, players like Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna are getting their chances in the ODI team.
In fact, in the second T20I against the West Indies, Rohit Sharma decided to throw the ball to Avesh Khan when 10 runs were required. Rohit had the option of bowling experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar but decided to back Avesh Khan as he wanted the fast bowler to get exposure to bowling in tense situations.
Meanwhile, there is no doubt that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami have done a tremendous job for the national team, especially in the Test format.
Speaking to Indian Express, Rohit Sharma said, “(Jasprit) Bumrah, (Mohammed) Shami and all these guys will not be with the Indian team forever, so you have to try and prepare the other guys. Myself and Rahul (Dravid) bhai spoke about how we are going to create our bench strength because that’s going to be very crucial considering the amount of cricket we play, considering the injury factors and everything.”
“We never want to be a team that relies on one or two individuals, we want to be a team where everyone can contribute and help the team win on their own. We want to be that kind of a team and that’s why we want to give the youngsters as many opportunities as possible and, of course, you have got senior players around them. They can be of good help,” said Sharma.
Meanwhile, the Indian selectors are giving opportunities to players who are performing consistently in the domestic as well as the IPL. Rahul Tripathi and Shahbaz Ahmed both received their maiden ODI call-up for the series against Zimbabwe.
“The guys are getting exposure and our aim is to create bench strength, so that’s why in Zimbabwe, there are a lot of players who are touring for the first time – be it Shahbaz Ahmed, Rahul Tripathi – and it is good exposure. They are really talented and will grab the opportunity. It’s about getting the confidence at this stage, which I am sure they will learn. Playing for the country matters the most,” said Sharma.
Rohit Sharma will lead India in the Asia Cup, which will commence on August 27.
