5 Spinners whom India can try in Test cricket

Indian subcontinent has a history of producing great spinners such as the likes of Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralitharan, Saqlain Mushtaq who were a nightmare for the batsmen. India has been a spin oriented nation in the world of cricket and has produced some of the greatest spinners ever known. The spinners, with their guile and variations have won many matches for India. India’s spin attack was at its peak in the 1960’s when the famous quartet of Bishan Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Erapalli Prasanna and S Venkataraghavan used to make up for the absence of quality pacers in the bowling lineup. Bedi was a bowler who relied on flight for wickets whereas Prasanna and Venkat were off spinners. Together they were a batsman’s worst nightmare as they dominated them on turning tracks at home and were equally potent in the seaming tracks abroad.After they left, the legacy was carried forward by the likes of Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh ,Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra and many more. In the current scenario, the spin attack consists of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. But for India to continue its global dominance in cricket, it has to look beyond these options and prepare for the future. Elite spinners have risen through the domestic circuit but India faces the "problem of plenty" which has barred such supreme players to represent their country.

Representing the country is a dream for every player but only a select few reach the level required to make the cut.

With this is in mind, let us have a look at 5 spinners who sould be given a chance in the near future:

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#1. Shreyas Gopal

Shreyas Gopal

Shreyas Gopal burst onto the scene with the Karnataka side in 2013-14 Ranji season as a middle order batsman who could bowl leg spin. A year later, he claimed 22 wickets at an average of 18.22 in his maiden Ranji Trophy season which proved to be vital in their title winning campaign. It’s been tough for spinners in the Ranji trophy, but Shreyas is someone who takes those disappointments on the chin. Shreyas Gopal has a bowling action similar to the legendary Indian wrist spinner Anil Kumble. Shreyas Gopal is being mentored by the likes of Shane Warne at Rajasthan Royals camp which can help him fulfill the potential he possesses .

Shreyas turned heads when he claimed the wickets of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in a crunch game against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Also, he has no lack of inspiration as his Karnataka teammates Rahul and Stuart Binny have made it to the Indian Cricket team. They are the ones he can look up to.

Till now he has played 46 FC matches scoring 1907 runs at an average of 35.98 with the bat and has claimed 152 wickets at an average of 26.83. These figures are an indication of his skills and quality as a player. In the recently concluded IPL, he picked up 11 wickets in 11 matches at an economy of 7.61 and played a key role in Rajasthan Royal’s comeback season where they managed to reach the playoffs.

#2. Krishnappa Gowtham

Krishnappa Gowtham

The spin bowling all-rounder was seen as limited-overs specialist but his career took a turn when he broke back into Karnataka’s first class team in 2016 season claiming 18 wickets in his first three matches. His performances at the first class level earned an India A team berth for the 4 day game against the touring Australian side and the tour of South Africa in 2017. He was a part of Mumbai Indians for the 2017 VIVO IPL, but did not get a game.

In the 2018 IPL auctions, he was bought for a huge sum of 6.2 crores by Rajasthan Royals and he proved his worth both with the bat and ball. He was handy with the bowl and also played as a clinical finisher scoring a match winning 33 runs in 11 balls. His heroics down the order is an evidence that he is not only a handy bowler but also a dependable batsman. In 22 first-class matches, he has scored 541 runs with one hundred and two fifties to his name. With the ball has picked up 79 wickets, with the figures of 7/72 being his best. Having immense potential both in batting and bowling, he won’t be bad choice for the Indian team in the future.

#3. Parvez Rasool

Parvez Rasool

An all-rounder coming from the Kashmir Valley, Parvez Rasool will always be an inspiration to countless youngsters who wish to pursue a career in cricket by fighting against all the odds in their way. He made his first class debut against Hyderabad and suddenly grabbed the limelight in the next few years. Rasool had a fabulous 2012-13 domestic season in which he led with both bat and ball for his team in the Ranji Trophy. Rasool made history when he became the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to sign a IPL contract by signing with Pune for the tournament's sixth edition.

Parvez Rasool also made history by becoming the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to be included in the national squad in 2013 for a tour to Zimbabwe and eventually made his ODI debut in 2014 against Bangladesh, becoming the first cricketer from his state to represent India at the highest level. In the 65 match first class career, Parvez Rasool has scored 3670 runs claiming 189 wickets in the process. These numbers are enough that he is a player who deserves a chance to represent his country. Considered to be a complete all-rounder, he is definitely someone to look for in the future.

#4. Shahbaz Nadeem

Shahbaz Nadeem

Shahbaz Nadeem is an left arm orthodox spinner who plays for Jharkhand and Delhi Daredevils. Nadeem has taken 107 wickets in last 2 seasons and has been playing cricket at every level but the Indian call has eluded him. However, he has been an integral member of the India A side over the past couple of years. Going into his 14th year in first class cricket Nadeem still holds his dream of making it to the Indian Cricket team intact. Nadeem was very close to making it to the big stage in 2016 when it was thought that Ashwin and Jadeja would be rested paving way for Nadeem to make his International debut,but the selectors had other ideas selecting Ashwin, Jadeja and Mishra for that series.

Nadeem has been a standout performer recently in the domestic circuit. The numbers back him up. He is only the second man in Ranji history to top 50 wickets in a season twice, having taken 51 in 2015-16. The performances from Nadeem have helped Jharkhand reach their first ever semifinal in the tournament's history. It's Nadeem's inquisitiveness to learn that makes him stand apart, it's his ability to take setbacks in his stride which makes him a complete sportsman. Nevertheless, fair enough to say that he is still a good prospect for test cricket.

#5. Axar Patel

Axar Patel

A left arm orthodox spinning all-rounder made his debut at the age of 18 for Gujarat playing against Mumbai which was his only game in 2012-13 season. He was then picked up by IPL Franchise Mumbai Indians, but had to spend the whole season on the bench. In 2013 he had an outstanding season as an all-rounder. Patel got his first five wicket haul in only his second match.

In 2014 he played for Kings 11 Punjab ,where he gave some impressive performances, before being picked in the Indian team for the tour of Bangladesh in 2014 and subsequently made it to the 15 man squad for the 2015 World Cup. He was the only player who was retained by Kings 11 Punjab for 2017-18 season citing him as a player with huge potential. At 24, Axar provides a certain balance to team by using his left arm spin to good effect and reducing pressure through his batting. Also, recently it was announced that Patel will be playing for Durham in County Championship where he can present his case to the selectors. Till now he has represented India in 38 ODIs and 11 T20 internationals. Considering his abilities both with bat and ball, he is definitely someone to look for in the future.