Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Nov 28: Patience, the most vital virtue for any spinner, is slowly disappearing among India’s slow bowlers, and the decline is evident even on turning tracks, observes a former India spinner while expressing concern over the growing influence of white-ball habits on red-ball skills. He said India’s spinners are not bowling enough overs in domestic cricket, which is essential for building rhythm, maturity and understanding of conditions. A spinner, he noted, grows not just with age but through the volume of overs he bowls, and long spells develop patience—something that is lacking today.
He pointed out that India’s current red-ball options are mostly all-rounders like Washington Sundar and Axar Patel, who have been impressive in limited-overs cricket but lack experience on domestic pitches that truly assist spinners. Earlier, Test pitches would favour batting for the first two days before gradually offering turn from Day 3 onwards, allowing spinners to learn the art of hunting for wickets. That natural progression, he said, has diminished.
Referring to visiting teams, he said foreign spinners such as Nathan Lyon, Ajaz Patel and Simon Harmer have succeeded in India by sticking to simple plans and bowling consistent lengths. In contrast, India’s practice of fielding three spinners at home often reduces individual workloads, pushing bowlers into a mindset of searching for wickets instead of settling into long, probing spells. While they are performing well in containing roles, their wicket-taking ability is fading.
Speaking about Kuldeep Yadav, he said the wrist-spinner often misses out in overseas Tests because his batting is considered weaker than others. When he is not in the XI, he should ideally be released to play county or Ranji matches to maintain rhythm, he suggested, adding that bench time hampers match-readiness. Even when Kuldeep plays, he rarely gets long spells because India frequently field multiple spinners, limiting his impact.
He also highlighted the void left by R Ashwin’s retirement. When Ashwin operated at one end with his variations and Jadeja held firm at the other with relentless accuracy, opposition batters were squeezed from both ends. That crucial pressure partnership, he said, is missing now, forcing Jadeja to operate more defensively.
The former cricketer pointed out that recent Tests in Kolkata and Guwahati were played on contrasting soils, black and red, requiring different methods. On red soil, for instance, bowlers must operate slower with subtle changes in trajectory and pace, ideally in the 70–80 kph range. Such insights, he said, come only through consistent domestic exposure. However, domestic matches now are often played either on green tops or flat paata surfaces, leaving spinners underprepared for Test-level challenges.
He expressed concern over the shrinking pool of red-ball off-spinners and wrist-spinners. The rise of T20 cricket, along with the popularity of reverse-sweeps and switch-hits, has pushed many young bowlers to rely heavily on overspin, altering traditional methods. Captains, he said, also need to better understand how to manage spinners in long-format cricket.
Calling for structural reform, he said the BCCI must organise specialised red-ball spin camps at the Centre of Excellence to rebuild India’s spin culture. Without creating the right environment, he warned, India will continue to struggle to produce quality long-format spinners.