5 months ago
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With India being outplayed by South Africa successful the just-concluded Test series, rotation large Harbhajan Singh felt the hosts don't person a specializer off-spinner for the five-day game, and called for an accrued workload for Washington Sundar.
In the archetypal location bid against a SENA state since the status of R. Ashwin, India spinners were overshadowed by the Proteas, who claimed 25 wickets crossed 2 Tests.
"Looks similar (India does not person a specializer right-arm off-spinner for Test cricket)," Harbhajan told PTI in effect to a query.
Harbhajan opined that Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington has a agelong mode to spell to found himself arsenic a specializer right-arm off-spinner and beryllium a like-for-like replacement for Ashwin successful presumption of all-round skills.
"I deliberation Washington Sundar is there, but we volition person to vessel him more. He volition person to beryllium bowled for 30-35 overs successful a Test lucifer to marque a bowler retired of him," said Harbhajan connected the sidelines of the motorboat of 8JJ Sports India.
Harbhajan, the third-highest wicket-taker among Indian spinners, felt India would person to shun the wont of dishing retired fertile turners for location Tests.
"The benignant of pitches we person been playing on, determination is nary request of making a bowler retired of anyone due to the fact that each transportation spins oregon immoderate straightens," helium said.
"A bowler tin (only) beryllium considered bully erstwhile helium takes wickets connected bully pitches," Harbhajan added.
Harbhajan said it is precocious clip for India to commencement preparing bully pitches arsenic the maturation of Test cricketers successful the state had stalled owed to playing connected fertile turners astatine home.
"We should play connected bully cricket pitches — it is precocious time," helium said.
"It has been much than a decennary playing connected those pitches wherever determination has not been wide maturation of (Indian) cricket.
"If you look astatine it, we are stuck astatine that 1 spot and erstwhile we play connected bully wickets, it becomes a lawsuit of being required to look into the mirror," helium added.
Citing the illustration of the England circuit earlier this year, wherever Shubman Gill scored 754 runs and led his squad to a 2-2 gully successful a five-Test series, Harbhajan said Indian batters indispensable get amended wickets astatine location arsenic well.
"We did good successful England. When we spell extracurricular of India, our batters get the accidental to people runs.
"(But) if you don't springiness accidental to your batters, past however volition it beryllium imaginable for them to triumph matches (at home)? It is precocious clip India commencement playing connected bully tracks."
Harbhajan felt India cannot speech astir promoting Test cricket if they crockery retired wickets similar the 1 successful Kolkata, wherever the Test ended wrong 3 days connected a dry, turning pitch.
"We support connected talking astir redeeming and promoting Test cricket, but this is not the mode to prevention Test cricket.
"If you privation to prevention Test cricket past we request to commencement playing connected bully tracks, which let your bowlers and batters and everyone to beryllium successful the game," said Harbhajan, who had utilized the hashtag "RIPTESTCRICKET" connected societal media aft the Kolkata Test ended wrong 3 days.
