India has been crowned the World T20 Champions in 2024, and they will be defending their title in the T20 World Cup in 2026, with no team having done it successfully before. However, the Men in Blue will have to rebuild an entire squad after the exit of their senior pros and the Ind vs Zim series will be a great opportunity for the same.
Not only on the batting front, India will have to fancy their chances and widen up their options in the bowling deck as well. In India’s T20 World Cup campaign in the United States and West Indies, the bowlers played a major role in the team’s initial to final success. It can undeniably be stated that it was the Indian bowlers who even led them to victory in the World Cup final.
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Unstoppable India’s road to glory as they were crowned World Champions
Captivating performances of Indian bowlers in the T20 World Cup
With Jasprit Bumrah still expected to spearhead India’s bowling attack for many World Cups to come, he needs support from his fellow teammates, just like the one he got from Hardik and Arshdeep Singh in the latest edition.
However, with an unsettled Siraj, India is still in the quest for a third-pace bowling option to keep aside Bumrah and Arshdeep, who might be said as the named constants for the side.
Indian spinners faced a major backlash in the finals, and with Jadeja stepping down, the Men in Blue will be in the quest for a new spinning all-rounder. With the Kulcha era almost coming to an end, as Chahal was not even placed into the starting XI on a single occasion, India will have to quest for a new spin duo alongside Kuldeep Yadav.
India’s bowling choices from the latest squad against Zimbabwe
India has rested most of their squad from the T20 World Cup and has given a chance to a new set of players from this generation. Having dropped all-rounders Axar and vice captain Hardik Pandya, India have picked the likes of Riyan Parag and Abhishek Sharma, both of whom performed exceptionally in the IPL 2024.
Even the entire bowling unit that featured in the World Cup has been replaced by a new set of players that comprise young and sporadic players like Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Tushar Deshpande, Harshit Rana, and Ravi Bishnoi.
Top 3 bowlers who can be future assets for India
Among the recently picked all-rounders, they have been stunning batters, but their bowling prowess has not been tested. With Axar and Pandya being frontline bowlers for India, it will be a tough job for players like Abhishek and especially Parag to step into their shoes on the bowling front.
Avesh Khan
The Rajasthan Royals pacer has been their star performer in the absence of Prasidh Krishna. He has stepped up to be an excellent bowler, especially in the death overs, though his new ball antics are also praiseworthy.
Avesh has an enriched variety, from a good stock delivery to a handful of yorkers and slower balls; he is a bowler with a lot more wit than finesse. He, under some rigorous guidance from Indian greats, can evolve to fill in the void of India’s third handy pacer.
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Tushar Deshpande
The Chennai Super Kings youngster has grown to be a very competent bowler in the T20s. Playing under the guidance of the maestro MS Dhoni, he has evolved to be a bowler who bowls best to his field. Known for his wide variety of slow deliveries, wide yorkers, and especially his wicket-taking ability with the new ball, this has given him this spot in the Team India squad.
Playing in conditions, especially overseas, Deshpande will be effective as he will add to India’s void of a third bowler, who can bowl upfront to keep Bumrah’s overs towards the end of the innings.
Ravi Bishnoi
Since Jadeja stepped down from T20Is and Chahal is not a major fit into the India squad, India will be in the quest for a proper wrist spinner alongside Kuldeep, and who can be a better option than Bishnoi? Bishnoi has played in Indian colors previously and has been a standout performer on many occasions.
The LSG spinner is one of the wittiest spinners in India currently and has abilities to spin the ball to either side. Bishnoi brings stunning fielding antics and will be an asset in the format that demands great fielders, which can’t be denied after SKY’s catch won the World Cup title for India after 13 years.