New Delhi, Sep 27 Amidst the backdrop of a high-voltage Asia Cup final, the focus of onlookers will immediately shift to the two-match Test series against the West Indies, starting on October 2 in Ahmedabad.
A major talking point has been the exclusion of Karun Nair, once a triple-centurion in Tests and got a second chance to don the whites in the drawn 2-2 series in England. But Nair, 33, scored 205 runs in eight innings in England with a best score of 57 in the final game at The Oval, was left out for the West Indies series, with left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal coming into the team.
Amit Mishra, the former India leg-spinner, was unequivocal in his assessment of Nair’s omission and Padikkal’s inclusion, with B Sai Sudharsan also retaining his place in the team. “He (Nair) was given a chance. I will say that he was very lucky to make a comeback in the Indian team at the age of 32, 33 or 34. It was an opportunity for him to do well. He played so many matches, but did not perform well.”
“It happens that after a while, you have to look at the youngsters who are performing well. You have to give them a chance and Sai Sudharsan is one of the players who will now get more chances, as per the thinking which is going in.”
“The way he bats, his technique is good and plays well, takes time to get in and play his shots. So chances are being given to players like him and time is ripe to get more young players in the Test side who can turn out to be lambi race ka ghoda (ones for the long haul),” said Mishra in an exclusive conversation with IANS.
India’s spin bowling arsenal sees the return of Axar Patel alongside vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar. With the home conditions favouring spinner, Mishra feels a well-rounded attack has been picked by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee.
“I always say that we should rely on our strength, which has always been spin bowling, especially against the West Indies. Whenever a little bit of help is there in the wicket for spinners, the West Indies team always struggles.”
“So, relying on our strength is a good thing as we have all the combinations available – left-arm spin, and our vice-captain can bat as well as bowl left-arm spin. We then have Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav, which means we have spinners of all varieties. But for sure, we will play with two proper spinners,” he said.
India’s series against the West Indies is their second assignment in the 2025-27 WTC cycle and as of now, they are third in the points table, with 46.67 percentage points. With the West Indies yet to get off the mark in the points tally, it’s a great chance for India to do two things: - give chances to youngsters and garner a maximum of 24 points.
India’s youth-centric approach in Tests drew praise from former leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who also welcomed Agarkar’s candid admission that the 3-0 home series defeat to New Zealand last year was a lesson they are determined not to let it repeat again.
“I think there are a lot of young players in the team, which is a good thing. Now the best thing is all the young players are being brought for the upcoming big series or tournaments. The biggest opportunity is now for the youngsters, as they are now getting a chance and they need to grab it by performing for the team and make their place there.”
“It's also a good thing that those who are doing well in domestic cricket and IPL are being given a chance to show their abilities and strengths. I have always known that Ajit Agarkar always tries to pick the best team and I think he is moving in that direction,” he said.
With Rishabh Pant still recovering from a fractured right foot, the spotlight has turned towards wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel. As the path to entering the national team has become more direct in the last few years, Mishra signed off by saying this is a golden chance for youngsters to make themselves regular members in the set-up.
“Whoever gets a chance, whether its Jurel or other youngsters, they need try to make runs and perform so that they get a place in the upcoming series and tournaments. Doing this increases your confidence. The best thing is that in our time of playing, we didn't get a chance so soon.”
“But now, they are getting that opportunity. In our case, we had to perform for 2-3 years and then go to India A, and then get a chance in the Indian team. So, now you do things well in one season, and come in the reckoning for the Indian team.”
“Once you come in, then keep that form going, and grab that thing to keep performing so that you try to play as long as you can for India. The most important thing is to focus on performances, and not on anything else. If you focus on performance, then your place will be automatically made, whether you're a youngster or not.
“If you perform, and focus on fitness, which has become very important in today's times, and whenever you get a chance, try to focus on how you want to perform and when you do perform, your place will be automatically made,” he concluded.
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