On June 29, the BCCI announced the India A squads for the tour of South Africa. India’s cricketing calendar is already quite packed and hence one might question the need for these A tours.
However, these tours have proven to be highly beneficial for Indian cricket in the past and have helped improve young cricketers’ skills and talent. The experience of playing in these tours helped players like MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya transition smoothly to the senior team.
Also read: 5 players that graduated to play for Team India from the India A squad
On that note, here are five reasons why ‘A’ tours are beneficial.
#5 It prepares youngsters for challenges of international cricket
In 2016, against England, Jayant Yadav scored his maiden Test hundred in his only third Test match. His off-spin bowling was impressive as well. In the same Test series, Karun Nair replaced the injured Ajinkya Rahane and slammed a magnificent triple-century in only his third innings. What was amazing to see was the ease with which the two cricketers settled into international cricket.
The reason for their smooth transition was the experience they gained by playing in India A matches over the last few years.
‘A’ tours help young cricketers get some much-needed match practice, thus helping them prepare for the rigours of international cricket.
#4 Exposure to different conditions
Most of India’s young cricketers have grown up playing only on sub-continent wickets and hence they lack the knowledge of playing in different conditions and on different pitches. The ‘A’ tours, however, allow players to adapt to alien conditions and enable them to iron out flaws in their technique.
Moreover, during these tours, Indian players get the opportunity to face some of the best young players from other nations which only helps improve their skills.
Players from other nations frequently visit India for the IPL but Indian cricketers don’t have the luxury of playing domestic T20 leagues in other countries. Hence these ‘A’ tours provide them with the opportunity to explore the conditions in other nations.
#3 Second chance for players to claim spot in national team
Due to the cut-throat competition in Indian cricket, players get limited chances to cement their place in the national team. For the cricketers who fail to make the most of their opportunities, the ‘A’ tours work as a second chance.
Manish Pandey was a part of India’s national team for a while during 2016 but the resurgence of Yuvraj Singh and emergence of Kedar Jadhav have taken the right-hander out of contention.
Thus, for Pandey, the upcoming tour of South Africa is a chance to impress the selectors and stage a comeback. This applies to Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur too who are contesting for a spot in the spin and pace department respectively.
Hence, for players who are knocking on the doors of the national team, the ‘A’ tours are very important.
#2 Works as inspiration for other players
Priyank Panchal secured a place in India’s A team for the tour of South Africa based on his sterling performance in the 2016-17 Ranji season. On the other hand, Krunal Pandya and Mohammad Siraj’s inclusions are seen as a reward for their staggering show in the IPL and other domestic tournaments.
These selections send a message to other young cricketers that if they perform well in domestic cricket then they will certainly get an opportunity to play at the highest level. Earlier, players used to go straight from domestic cricket to international cricket which was a huge step up in terms of quality. But now, these ‘A’ tours work as a link between domestic and international cricket, allowing players to smoothly make the transition and also motivating them to put up a good show in domestic tournaments.
#1 Allows players to train under better coaches
Rahul Dravid is the current coach of India’s A team and in the past, this position was held by other high-quality international cricketers. Hence these A tours are not only a chance for young players to show their skills, but also an opportunity to learn from the best.
By spending time with cricket legends like Dravid, youngsters get the chance to learn about important aspects of the game such as discipline, attitude, and temperament.
Being a part of India’s A team allows young cricketers to get in touch with some of the best in the business and pick their brains.
Karun Nair and Shreyas Iyer have spoken highly about Dravid’s role in their growth as cricketers hence for someone like Priyank Panchal, this tour could serve as a stepping stone.
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