Let’s not get obsessed about fast-bowling all-rounders, says head coach Gautam Gambhir

The 42-year-old opined that international cricket cannot be used as a platform to develop talent as the players must be ready before making the step up.

Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja with head coach Gautam Gambhir during a training session ahead of the first Test cricket match against Bangladesh, at MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai. | Photo Credit: PTI

India head coach Gautam Gambhir played down the need to develop the next fast-bowling all-rounder for India in the longest format of the game ahead of the first Test against Bangladesh starting in Chennai on Thursday.

The 42-year-old opined that international cricket cannot be used as a platform to develop talent as the players must be ready before making the step up.

“International cricket is not about developing players. First-Class cricket is there to develop players. International cricket is all about people coming in and delivering,” he said

The coach, however, reiterated his belief on the domestic system in developing the required talent for the big stage.

“We have been talking since Kapil Dev’s time that we don’t have a fast-bowling all-rounder. If we don’t have it, we don’t have it. If we have it, he has got to develop in First-Class cricket,” the former opener said.

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“We have got a really strong First-Class structure, and hopefully we can get someone really soon. If we can get someone very soon, great for Indian cricket,” he added.

Gambhir also had words of appreciation for India’s spin-bowling all-rounders, calling them a ‘luxury’.

“We have people like [Ravindra] Jadeja, Axar [Patel], [Ravichandran] Ashwin, who has got five Test hundreds. Washy [Washington Sundar] is there as well. How many international sides have spin-bowling all-rounders. There are not many. India has got that luxury,” he said.