India got a reality check in the ODI format against South Africa as they played with full-strength squad after a long time. As India failed to win a single match in coloured jersey, there has been widespread criticism of not just Indian’s inconsistent middle order but the spin-bowling as well and their inability to pick wickets in middle overs. In a recent interview with Sports Today, former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed that the Indian bowling is “missing that spark in the middle overs”. Harbhajan recalls how well the duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, also known as kulcha, terrorised batters in middle overs.
“We are missing that spark in the middle overs, where people are going for the wicket rather than things to happen. When Kulcha (Kuldeep and Chahal) played together, they were brilliant for the team in middle overs,” the 41-year-old said.
“Whenever they have played together, they have taken wickets and won games for team India. I don't know why they fell apart, why they were not giving the opportunities after the World Cup.
I think it's time for them to bring them back and may be bring some other X-factor who can take wickets in the middle overs, rather than doing just the containing work,” the veteran expressed his disappointment.
In the recently concluded three-ODI series, Indian spinners were able to take just three wickets compared to South Africa’s tally of nine wickets. The Proteas’ tally would have been in double digits if their in-form left-arm chinaman bowler Tabraiz Shamsi played the last ODI in Cape Town.
“If you are not going to take wickets in the middle overs, I don't think you are going to win too many games. It's not just with the middle overs, it's also important to take wickets with the new ball, which we were not careful enough in the last series in South Africa. We didn't take wickets upfront and that's probably the reason why our spinners were flat and they couldn't do anything,” the off-spinner opined.
The last time India toured India, Chahal and Yadav made Proteas batters dance to their tunes. Kuldeep and Chahal took 17 and 16 wickets respectively in the six-ODI series compared to South African spinners who were far from impressive.
“Ashwin and Chahal didn't create too many opportunities with the ball. They were too defensive with their approach. There were times where they could have attacked the opposition by putting in another slip or may be another catcher but that didn't happen. No matter how the wickets are, if you are playing in the World Cup against any opposition, your job is to take wickets in the middle overs. And it is down to you, how you will create those chances as a bowler,’ Harbhajan explained where Chahal and Ashwin went wrong.
Harbhajan is also open to the idea of bringing his KKR teammate in previous season, Varun Chakravarthy back in the side. The bowler with 269 wickets said that Chakravarthy can be the “X-factor” despite remaining wicketless in T20 World Cup 2021.
“You need have bowlers like Yuzi Chahal and Kuldeep bowling in tandem and can bring in an X-factor, someone like Varun Chakraborty There is no harm in trying him again, you played him in those 2-3 games in the World Cup and then you decide that he is not good enough. Don't judge him on those 2-3 games, where entire Indian team didn't perform, not just him. I think he deserves another opportunity, why not bring him back and see what he can do in the middle overs,” he opined.