Sanjay Manjrekar, former cricketer-turned-commentator, has raised concerns about India’s seam bowlers struggling with fitness. As India trails 1-2 in the ongoing five-match series against England, injuries have weakened the team’s pace attack. Manjrekar believes this issue has become “serious” and needs urgent attention.
Injury Woes Continue to Plague Indian Seamers
India faces a growing injury crisis ahead of the Manchester Test. Akash Deep, who shone in India’s historic Test win at Edgbaston, is battling a groin injury. Arshdeep Singh, yet to make his Test debut, hurt his hand during a training session. Anshul Kamboj has been sent to Manchester to strengthen India’s pace options.
Akash Deep’s Injury Setbacks
Before his recent injury, Akash Deep had already spent time away from the field due to a back injury during India’s tour of Australia. He missed several months but returned to play for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2023. Manjrekar believes Akash’s situation is a “glaring example” of the larger issue.
“I think there is a choice. But there are all untested young seam bowlers with talent. Arshdeep is an exciting option, and Anshul Kamboj as well. I liked Harshit Rana in the one Test he played in Australia. There will always be seam bowlers around. But it is just the kind of scenario we have,” Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo Match Day.
Bumrah’s Workload and Young Talent’s Struggles
Jasprit Bumrah, one of India’s top fast bowlers, faces workload management issues due to a back injury sustained during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney. He is missing two of the five Tests in the series as part of this management strategy.
Mayank Yadav, another exciting talent, has also faced injury setbacks. After showing promise in the IPL 2023, Mayank suffered a side strain that cut short his IPL season. He later faced another injury, delaying his return to full fitness.
A Growing Fitness Crisis in Indian Cricket
Manjrekar emphasizes that India’s seam bowlers struggle to stay fit for long periods due to the demands of IPL, white-ball cricket, and Tests. He believes that Akash Deep’s injury is an example of poor fitness management.
“With the IPL, white-ball cricket, and Tests, we just don’t have our fast bowlers staying fit long enough. Akash Deep is a glaring example. It is not like he has bowled a lot through the season, and hence, now, fit or workload management was not addressed properly,” Manjrekar said.
Urgent Action Needed
Manjrekar believes that the issue of seamers’ fitness requires immediate action. “I think it has become a serious issue where you don’t have Indian seam bowlers staying fit long enough, and that has to be addressed by Indian cricket. We see young, exciting bowling talent in the IPL, and after three matches, they are not seen in the next season. Somebody needs to get to the bottom of it,” he added.
As India battles England in a must-win series, the fitness of its seam bowlers is a critical concern. Manjrekar’s comments highlight the urgency of addressing this issue. Without effective management, India risks losing more of its top bowling talent, which could impact their future performance.
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