Looking At The Prospects Of Bharat Arun's Quest For A Left-Arm Pacer

Finally, in his second stint as the bowling coach of Indian cricket team, Bharat Arun revealed his desire of having a good left-arm pacer in the Indian cricket team. Since the retirement of Zaheer Khan, there has been no left-handed pacer who could sustain his place in the side. Incidentally, Ashish Nehra made his comeback in the Indian cricket team a few months after his retirement but he only plays T20 cricket. In addition to that, he is only part of the team when the side plays a complete series, not just one game, which has been the case in recent times.

Looking at domestic cricket, there are a few names that look quite a bright prospect to fulfill the desire of Bharat Arun of getting a left arm pacer in the side but there are many glitches in the process. Few of them have been given chances but they haven’t lived up to the expectations whereas others are inexperienced.

Without wasting much time, let’s have a look at domestic cricket and try to find out who can be the man for Bharat Arun in the future:

(Image Credit: AFP)

Barinder Sran – The left-handed pacer from Punjab was an unknown commodity when he was called in the Indian cricket for the ODI series against Australia in 2016. At that time, the reports suggested that he had impressed the then Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli in the net session ahead of Mohali Test ahead against South Africa. Sran was straightaway drafted in the Indian team for Australia limited overs voyage.

He was handed his debut ODI cap in the first game in Perth, where he impressed and scalped three big wickets of Aaron Finch, David Warner and skipper Steven Smith. Though a wicketless show in next two games saw him dropped from the side. He was given a place on tour to Zimbabwe, where he again played under MS Dhoni. There he added four wickets to his account and impressed in the two T20Is he played. Though he is yet to make a comeback in the team, owing to his nominal show in domestic cricket. Performances in the upcoming domestic season can get him his place back in the Indian pace attack, the chances of which though are quite dim and bleak.

It can be said that the speed of his exit from the Indian team has been far more faster than the speed with which he entered the Indian dressing room.

(Image Credit: BCCI)

Aniket Choudhary – Hailed as Mitchell Starc of India, he is also one of the bowlers who impressed Indian skipper Virat Kohli and there was a rumour in the market that he might get picked for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year. Though the MSK Prasad led selection committee did not pay heed to the hype and he was not given a place. Kohli though was impressed by the Rajasthan pacer. He asked Choudhary to be part of bowlers in the net session of Indian cricket team. He got a befitting price at the end when he was purchased by Royal Challenger Bangalore in IPL auction for an amount of Rs 2 Crores, owing to his impressive show in team India’s nets.

In the first game of IPL, he went for 55 runs for just one wicket. The hype was all over and he played just four more games in IPL, which states that he was not a good purchase for RCB. Choudhary was part of India A for Test series against South Africa A and there as well, he could just get one wicket.

He is a good future prospect but surely the tall and strong built bowler needs to come up with something out of the box so as to gain back the confidence of Indian skipper and also get a place in the Indian team.

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Chama Milind – Coming to national scene from a state like Hyderabad s always is a herculean task. Pragyan Ojha, VVS Laxman have shown how to knock the doors of the Indian team but not everyone is so talented to come onto national scene from that state. Milind, a pacer from Hyderabad is someone with whom Arun is well versed off, by virtue of being coach of the state side. Milind has done well in past few years, which has earned him a place in India A squad to face visiting Bangladesh side but the overseas experience is something which he lacks. He could not earn a place in India A side for the tour to South Africa, which could have been a big boost for him.

He has been part of two IPL franchises till now but is yet to play an IPL game, which is another flaw. Should he build an image of a strong fast bowler for his side and get a game at higher level, then he would be the one to enter the ajar window of left arm pacer slot.

(Image Credit: Mumbai Indians)

Kulwant Khejroliya – Khejorilya’s name is the biggest surprise in the list. At the age of 25, he has an experience of mere seven List A games and is a totally unheard commodity in domestic cricket. A migrant from Rajasthan, he landed in Delhi with a dream of being a fast bowler and in less than a year of landing in the national capital, he has made highlights in Delhi circle. His short but impressive show in local cricket earned him a place in Mumbai Indians side for IPL 10. Though he did not get a game but the level of his game improved leaps and bounds. The upcoming domestic season, his first full season, will be crucial for him where he would like to carry his form so as to straightaway come in the eye of selectors and be that one pacer, whom Bharat Arun wants in his core team.