Wanted: Test specialists

new delhi: Specialists could be back in vogue in Indian Test cricket after the series whitewash against South Africa as the Ajit Agarakar-led selection panel recalibrates its approach towards crucial positions like the No. 3 slot in the batting line-up.

The spot, which was sealed by the likes of Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara for a better part of the last three decades, is now up for grabs.

Karun Nair couldn’t clinch it in England despite being given four Tests and B Sai Sudharsan, with an average 27 across 11 innings, has shown that he is still very much a work in progress.

There are a lot of technical issues in his game, especially on the spin-friendly sub-continental tracks, and he needs time in domestic cricket and time with pathways team (India A) to get ready for Tests.

Test cricket isn’t a place to correct elementary mistakes when stakes are very high and India have been learning this again and again in the most painful way possible.

There is a strong possibility that the selection committee will now seriously consider some of the seasoned domestic names to lend some solidity to the line-up going forward.

While doors are mostly shut on Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran, three battle-hardened domestic veterans Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajat Patidar and Rinku Singh could keep the team management interested going forward.

Among the new crop of red-ball players Smaran Ravichandran (first-class average 78) and Yash Rathod (960 runs last Ranji season) have prolific numbers as middle-order batters. “People might blame Ajit and his committee for not selecting Abhimanyu and Sarfaraz but then do the head coach (Gautam Gambhir) and new captain (Shubman Gill) have faith in their abilities? If not what will Ajit alone do?” asked a former selector, familiar with how the system works.

But possibly time has come to once again go back to the drawing board and bank on specialists rather than placing faith in non-existent all-rounders.

“Let’s be clear on one thing, Kapil Dev was the last world-class all-rounder and the last competent Test level all-rounder was Manoj Prabhakar, who could open batting and bowling.

“In case of Hardik (Pandya), his body didn’t permit (him to carry on),” the former selector said.“But Nitish Reddy is a bits and pieces guy. He can play at best T20s not even ODIs and Gautam needs to understand that,” he added.

Reddy’s batting average in 10 Tests is 26, largely due to that hundred in Australia, and he has bowled only 86 overs in 15 innings, which is not even six overs on an average.