‘You can’t beat experience’: India coach explains Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return
· Yahoo Sports
Ranchi: VVS Laxman’s new role in India’s selection process and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s return to the T20I squad point to the same priority: better communication and greater experience as India build beyond their current winning combination.
Laxman, head of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), will now attend every senior selection committee meeting, creating a direct link between the Bengaluru facility, the selectors and the Indian team management. The move is intended to ensure that information on players undergoing rehabilitation, particularly their fitness status, reaches the selectors directly.
For the Indian team, though, the significance of the change is still evolving.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I also came to know what you just said,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said when asked about Laxman’s new role during the pre-match press conference here on Thursday.
Kotak did point to an existing line of communication between the team and Laxman, saying: “(Head coach) Gautam (Gambhir) always speaks to Laxman. That is the normal procedure, which I have always seen.”
The broader selection strategy is already visible in India’s decision to bring Bhuvneshwar back into the T20I squad for the New Zealand tour after a four-year absence. The 36-year-old’s recall, following two strong IPL seasons, represents a conscious move towards experience in an attack otherwise populated by younger fast bowlers.
Kotak said Jasprit Bumrah’s absence during parts of India’s recent schedule had highlighted the value of having an experienced bowler around the younger group. “We all know that you can’t beat experience. The youngsters are also performing well and getting selected, but at some stage you also need some experience,” he said.
New Zealand’s conditions also appear to have influenced the thinking. Bhuvneshwar’s experience and ability to move the new ball give India another option as they prepare for the five-match T20I series. But the larger challenge remains balancing continuity with experimentation. India have rested Bumrah and other senior players in some games while giving younger players opportunities, even as the team continues to win.
“There is a very thin line between keeping that balance,” Kotak said.
The logic behind rotation is simple: India need to know whether their reserves can handle international cricket before they are forced to rely on them.
“Any team in the world will require bench strength. And at some point you have to give them opportunities,” Kotak said.
There can be a cost to that approach. “Sometimes results do suffer,” he admitted, although India’s depth has allowed them to experiment without significantly compromising results.
That makes Laxman’s new role more than an administrative adjustment and Bhuvneshwar’s recall more than a nostalgic comeback. Both reflect a management group increasingly attentive to the finer details of squad-building, knowing when to back the established core, when to test the next generation and when experience can make the difference.
India may be winning while experimenting. The next challenge is ensuring that experimentation strengthens, rather than disrupts, the winning formula.
134820690
Laxman, head of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), will now attend every senior selection committee meeting, creating a direct link between the Bengaluru facility, the selectors and the Indian team management. The move is intended to ensure that information on players undergoing rehabilitation, particularly their fitness status, reaches the selectors directly.
For the Indian team, though, the significance of the change is still evolving.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I also came to know what you just said,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said when asked about Laxman’s new role during the pre-match press conference here on Thursday.
Kotak did point to an existing line of communication between the team and Laxman, saying: “(Head coach) Gautam (Gambhir) always speaks to Laxman. That is the normal procedure, which I have always seen.”
The broader selection strategy is already visible in India’s decision to bring Bhuvneshwar back into the T20I squad for the New Zealand tour after a four-year absence. The 36-year-old’s recall, following two strong IPL seasons, represents a conscious move towards experience in an attack otherwise populated by younger fast bowlers.
Kotak said Jasprit Bumrah’s absence during parts of India’s recent schedule had highlighted the value of having an experienced bowler around the younger group. “We all know that you can’t beat experience. The youngsters are also performing well and getting selected, but at some stage you also need some experience,” he said.
New Zealand’s conditions also appear to have influenced the thinking. Bhuvneshwar’s experience and ability to move the new ball give India another option as they prepare for the five-match T20I series. But the larger challenge remains balancing continuity with experimentation. India have rested Bumrah and other senior players in some games while giving younger players opportunities, even as the team continues to win.
“There is a very thin line between keeping that balance,” Kotak said.
The logic behind rotation is simple: India need to know whether their reserves can handle international cricket before they are forced to rely on them.
“Any team in the world will require bench strength. And at some point you have to give them opportunities,” Kotak said.
There can be a cost to that approach. “Sometimes results do suffer,” he admitted, although India’s depth has allowed them to experiment without significantly compromising results.
That makes Laxman’s new role more than an administrative adjustment and Bhuvneshwar’s recall more than a nostalgic comeback. Both reflect a management group increasingly attentive to the finer details of squad-building, knowing when to back the established core, when to test the next generation and when experience can make the difference.
India may be winning while experimenting. The next challenge is ensuring that experimentation strengthens, rather than disrupts, the winning formula.
134820690
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