Former India wicketkeeper-batter Ajay Ratra, now a BCCI Level 3 coach, says the talent pool is too deep and the young batters have to be consistent.
A tour of Zimbabwe is a great platform to test upcoming players. The retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja from the T20Is have opened three new vacancies. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been around for a while and have sealed their spots based on impressive performances since last year.
However, no player can take their berth for granted amid the tough competition. Abhishek Sharma, a spin-bowling all-rounder, has sent a strong message to the selectors with a 46-ball 100 in his second T20I in the ongoing five-match series against the African nation in Harare.
There are big hitters like Riyan Parag and Sai Sudharshan waiting to explode. Assam boy Parag is also a leg-spinner with 41 wickets in T20s.
A Deep Talent Pool
Former India wicketkeeper-batter Ajay Ratra, a renowned coach for the past nine years, feels the young brigade should grab every opportunity in Zimbabwe to cement their spots. “They have the skills as they have developed their game through the Indian Premier League. It is a great opportunity for them to get some game time in Zimbabwe,” he told SportsBoom.com.
Ratra, who holds the rare distinction of being a BCCI Level 3 coach, has coached domestic cricket teams Assam, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. He believes it is difficult to pinpoint one or two players as Rohit and Virat's successors since the talent pool is deep. “There are quite a few players who have the potential. Besides Shubman, Abhishek and Yashasvi, Nitish Rana has done well. Rinku Singh is already in the side as a finisher. Riyan performed well for Assam and in the IPL,” he added.
'Consistency is the Key'
The players understand that they have to be on top of their game to get into the selectors' heads. A mere fifty or a one-off three-wicket haul may not be enough as somebody better is waiting in the supply line.
“Their consistency will be the key to ensure they are not lost after this one-off tour. The players, who are on a break after the World Cup, will return at some point ahead of a big series. They can retain their spots if they perform in this phase,” said Ratra, the youngest wicketkeeper to score a Test hundred when he made an unbeaten 115 against the West Indies in Trinidad in 2002.
Among the bowlers, Ratra is hopeful that Mayank Yadav, recovering from an injury at present, is one for the keeps. The 22-year-old speedster bowled thunderbolts at 150kmph in the IPL for the Lucknow SuperGiants before an abdominal tear ruled him out of the remainder of the season.
He impressed with seven wickets in four games at an economy of 6.99.
“Mayank was with me in the Deodhar Trophy (a domestic 50-over competition) when I coached North Zone. There was Rishi Dhawan and Harshit Rana too. He bowled so well with the old ball. He was consistent and had a great release; few fast bowlers can do that. I was impressed with his bowling,” said Ratra, who played six Tests and 12 ODIs for India.
Yadav is currently on the road to recovery at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.