PUDUCHERRY: After India went down to the West Indies in the third ODI on Saturday, the one big question that lingered was about the pace attack: who would share the new ball with Jasprit Bumrah in the lead-up to the World Cup next year? In a full-strength Indian squad, the answer would not be complicated. The likely pool would comprise Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna, Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh.
However, such has been the schedule, workload and injury list that Shubman Gill hasn't had a full-strength ODI bowling attack since he took over. Since January 2024, India have fielded 14 pacers/pace-bowling all-rounders. Of the 14, six pacers made their debut in this period. Rana, who made his ODI debut in January 2025, has played the most matches (14) since 2024. He is followed by Prasidh (13), Arshdeep (12), Siraj (10) and Gurnoor (9), who made his debut only in June 2026 against Afghanistan.
Bumrah has played two matches. Hardik Pandya has eight, but he has not played an ODI since the Champions Trophy in March 2025. India's premium pace all-rounder was supposed to take the field against Australia A in Puducherry on Tuesday. But prolonged injury rehab and a new shin injury (reportedly) meant Suryansh Shedge replaced Pandya.
At a time when India boast a player pool to field multiple teams across formats in different conditions at the same time, questions have been raised about the fast bowling reserves. Even Gill, who feels there is not much time to experiment before the World Cup, expressed his concerns after the third ODI in New Chandigarh on Saturday.
The skipper's concerns are valid. With less than a year to go for the global event, the focus, at the senior level, would be on keeping the first-choice player pool fit and ready this time next year. For the A-team, which will play three one-dayers against Australia A from Tuesday, the focus remains on giving the larger pool of players a chance to grow.
Former India pacer L Balaji, who is with the India A team and BCCI Centre of Excellence, felt that the pathways are working with a clear roadmap. “There is a lot of bridging between tournaments with clear pathways now," he said here on Monday. "India A is a direct pathway toward the international stage — you saw Anshul Kamboj getting an immediate opportunity (he left the India A red-ball match midway to make his debut in New Chandigarh against West Indies). Both during the season and off-season, there is a clear roadmap for a cricketer to maintain form."
When asked whether pacers who are coming through the pathway can live up to the standards of international cricket — especially in batting-friendly conditions — Balaji said pacers need time to mature. He took the case of Prasidh, who made his ODI debut in 2021, and how the Karnataka pacer has developed over the years to become an integral part of the ODI and Test teams. “While the evolution of the sport leans heavily toward run-scoring in IPL and T20s, fast bowlers still have their space. At CoE, we run targeted player development and white-ball specialist programs. Fast bowlers need time to mature. As we give them opportunities, talent gets justified, as we've seen with Prasidh and Gurnoor. Many have potential. High-scoring games are common now, but bowlers will adapt over time. Youngsters like Anshul and Gurnoor need time and grooming to match international demands. It won't always be 350-400 run games; bowlers will adapt to modern demands very soon,” explained Balaji.
So far, it has reflected in the selections as well. Prasidh, Arshdeep and Harshit were a part of the A team that toured South Africa in late 2025. Arshad Khan, Anshul, Yash Thakur and Ashok Sharma went to Sri Lanka earlier this year for the tri-nation series with India A. In Puducherry, Arshad, Gurjapneet Singh, Yash, Arshin Kulkarni and Shedge will be in action. While the road towards an India debut isn't straightforward for the aforementioned pacers, these three matches offer a chance to make a case and be in the larger pool of pacers the selectors keep an eye on. Will anybody grab it with both hands? It remains to be seen.