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In a recent interaction with ESPNcricinfo, former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer expressed reservations about the bowling abilities of Tilak Varma and Yashasvi Jaiswal when it comes to international matches. This came in the wake of both players bowling during India's disheartening defeat to the West Indies in Florida.
While Varma managed to take the wicket of Nicholas Pooran in his two-over spell, Jaiswal, on the other hand, proved expensive, conceding 11 runs in just one over. Jaffer voiced his concerns, stating, "I don't think they (Tilak Varma and Yashasvi Jaiswal) are ready to bowl at the international level. I think Tilak can because I have seen him bowl a little bit. But Jaiswal, you still have to wait."
Jaffer also touched upon a concerning gap in the Indian team: the absence of batters skilled in delivering occasional overs in international fixtures. Despite Varma's commendable batting performance in the recent T20I series against West Indies, where he accumulated 173 runs, Jaffer feels there's room for improvement in his bowling.
Jaffer emphasized, "They are encouraging them to bowl more in the nets, and as and when they come back to domestic cricket, you will see them bowling, and they should because India clearly lack one of their batters to turn their arm over."
Moreover, Jaffer shed light on an unintended consequence of the IPL's Impact Player rule introduced in 2023. This rule allows for mid-game player substitutions, which Jaffer believes might deter occasional bowlers from being groomed effectively. He elaborated, "The guys who can turn their arm over for one or two overs probably won't get to bowl in the IPL because you will get a specialist guy coming in. Those guys won't be groomed. That's why we didn't get to see Yashasvi Jaiswal or even Tilak Varma bowl in the IPL. That is not a good thing because that doesn't happen in international cricket."
Post their setback against the West Indies, Team India is gearing up for a three-match T20I series in Ireland.
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