India begin their title defence of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in less than a week’s time, but there’s still uncertainty over the final combination of their bowling attack against Australia.

India’s first Test series since March could prove to be a defining one for a number of players in the squad, all of whom will be returning to the long format after going through the rigours of a two-month-long IPL, and the white-ball series in Australia that followed. The switch in formats won’t be an easy one, especially for a bowling attack that is set to sport a new look due to a couple of notable omissions.

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja can be safely assumed to occupy spots in the first XI (subject to fitness, of course), but how will the rest of the pieces of the puzzle line up? We take a look at India’s remaining bowling options, and weigh the pros and cons of each potential choice.

Umesh Yadav

Pros: Umesh’s biggest strength is possibly his understanding of Australian surfaces, ahead of what will be his fourth tour Down Under. On pacy tracks with ample bounce, Umesh’s speed and subtle movement can be vital assets, and could perfectly complement the bowling styles of Bumrah and Shami. In the practice games, he looked in fine nick, and gained appreciation from Australia’s Cameron Green, who admitted Umesh’s bowling was ‘incredibly tough to face’.

Cons: He might be irrepressible, but Umesh’s career has never quite taken off because of his erratic returns, where he has often followed up brilliant phases of bowling with a drop in standard, wavering in his lines after an impressive first spell. While he does have ample experience of bowling in Australia, he has featured in only 18 out of the 44 Tests India has played away from home since his debut, mostly due to his considerably higher bowling average abroad.

Navdeep Saini

Pros: Saini is the breath of fresh air any bowling attack needs; a high-intensity quick who swears by speed, and doesn’t shy away from giving it back to batsmen, either with a bouncer, a yorker, or just a simple stare. In his handful of international appearances, Saini has been impressive on the whole, combining old-fashioned quick bowling with the ability to be match-aware and play with the batsman’s mind.

Cons: It might be a bit harsh on the youngster, but Saini’s current form hasn’t exactly been promising, signifying how he’s still very much in development. In his last six matches of IPL 2020, Saini picked up just two wickets, and looked unimpressive in the Australia ODIs, failing to plug the flow of runs, and giving away 173 runs in 17 overs. If Australia’s batsmen stick around and diffuse the new-ball threat, Saini’s uni-dimensional approach might fall flat in the Test matches.

Kuldeep Yadav

Pros: The added edge that Kuldeep Yadav brings to the team has partly to do with his bowling style, which is a rarity in itself in international cricket. When in form, the ball beautifully comes out of his hand, leaving the batsmen stuck between leaning forward and staying on the back foot – there is often enough loop in the air to deceive them. In his short Test career, Kuldeep has picked up nine wickets against Australia, which includes a four-wicket haul on debut.

Cons: Simply put, Kuldeep isn’t the same menacing prospect he was a couple of years ago, when there was freshness and mystery. He now looks jaded, carrying the burden of a poor 12 months when the wickets deserted him and runs have mounted on. He gave a brief indication of a return to his rhythm in the Australia ODIs, but it won’t be easy getting a place right away in the Test XI, a format he hasn’t featured in since January 2019.

Mohammed Siraj

Pros: Ishant Sharma will certainly be a big miss for India, but Siraj, the uncapped quick, does have the traits to stake a claim in his place. A bowler who puts his heart into his art, and relentlessly sends down overs even when the chips are down, Siraj can play the holding role after Shami and Bumrah are done with their initial probing. At the domestic level, he has showcased the ability to generate appreciable movement into the right-handers, and was given wholehearted support and praise by skipper Virat Kohli at their IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Cons: Similar to Saini, Siraj is untested at the Test level; while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, facing Australia in their back yard is a challenge that will require much more results than what Siraj has offered so far. His domestic performances are yet to translate at the international level: since his debut in 2017, he has featured in just four matches (three T20Is, one ODI), and usually ends up being a backup option to other quicks in the side. The promotion to first-change Test seamer might be a step too far in his fledgeling career.

Ravichandran Ashwin

Pros: Compared to the other bowlers on the list, Ashwin is a far bigger name, a Test behemoth on home pitches. Since Ashwin’s debut, only James Anderson and Nathan Lyon have taken more Test scalps, highlighting his massive impact and value in the team. One of India’s greatest spinners seemed in great nick with the white ball too during IPL 2020, exhibiting his trademark tricks on the batsmen, even on surfaces with little to offer.

Cons: While he might have sparked a white-ball resurgence with his IPL performances, his overseas Test record still leaves a lot to be desired, especially when (rather unfairly sometimes) put next to his home numbers. Ashwin has been criticised for being defensive and sparkless on unhelpful pitches, and might be difficult to accommodate if India keep faith in Ravindra Jadeja as the sole spinner. The fact that Ashwin’s batting contributions have nosedived in the last few years, coinciding with Jadeja’s surge as an all-rounder, doesn’t help Ashwin’s case either.

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