IND vs SA | India have a huge pool of talent and it is getting bigger and bigger, opines Steve Harmison

12/07/2021

Former England cricketer Steve Harmison said that India have a huge pool of talent and it is getting bigger after their recent victory against New Zealand by 1-0 in the Test series. India will tour South Africa for a three-match Test series, that starts from December 26 with the Centurion Test.

India recently won a two match Test series against New Zealand at home by 1-0 with a 372 run win in Mumbai Test despite the fact that several key players in the team were given rest. Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami were not a part of the squad.

Shreyas Iyer made a impressive debut in the Kanpur Test becoming the first India cricketer to score a hundred and follow it up with a fifty on Test debut. Mayank Agarwal was the highest run-scorer in the series as he slammed 150 runs in the first innings and 62 runs in the Wankhede Test. Ravichandran Ashwin was impressive for the Indian team with 14 wickets in two Test matches.

Former England cricketer Steve Harmison opined that the India team management will be under a lot of pressure while selecting the team for the South Africa series.

"Wouldn't be surprised if they (India) go back to Pujara at three, Kohli at four, Rahane at five, Pant at six and Jadeja at seven. This is how crazy it is. R Ashwin has just got 8/42 in a match and he might not play in the next Test on Boxing Day. Mayank Agarwal has just a 150 and a fifty, he might not play in the next match," Harmison said on his YouTube channel.

"Shreyas Iyer got a hundred and a fifty on debut, something which has never happened in Indian cricket and he might not play in the next Test. That just shows the pool of talent that they have."

The form of two senior batsmen Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara has been an issue of concern for the team. Now, with solid performances from Shreyas Iyer in his debut series selectors will have a tough choice in choosing the players. Harmison has opined that the growing talent pool in India is putting pressure on the players in the final XI.

"India right now have got what England have become in white-ball cricket. Their pool of players is just getting bigger and the pressure on the men with (Indian) shirts are getting stronger and stronger,” he concluded.

"They've got two guys in the middle of the order that they wanna keep picking. They wanna keep them hoping that they are going to score runs. But they have got some young guys. I think it might be their time. How can you drop Shreyas Iyer?.”

India will tour South Africa for three Tests and three ODIs from December 26.