India To Face Major 'Bowling' Crisis In Near Future? Report Makes Grim Claim

India's qualification for the World Test Championship final in June next year is hanging in balance and even if they make the grade for the third consecutive time, it will be a massive surprise if skipper Rohit Sharma stays available for the next two-year WTC cycle. Ditto for Ravichandran Ashwin, who will be 41 by then. Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli, the two supremely fit men, will be 39. The embarrassing Test series defeat at home against New Zealand has already triggered a debate around the effectiveness of a few seniors. Ravi Shastri could only empathize with Gambhir. "New Zealand have beaten them (India) handsomely in both the Test matches. It's food for thought (on series loss). He (Gambhir) has just taken over the job. It's never easy being coach of a team that has such a big following," Shastri said while commentating during the second Test in Pune.

"It's still early days in his career as a coach. But he'll soon learn." There is no doubt India are looking at a tough transition.

As many as four world-class match-winners are expected to bid adieu to the game one by one in the next couple of years and Gautam Gambhir is in an unenviable position as head coach.

There are multiple options available in batting but India may struggle to find good bowlers.

Mohammed Shami, even if he comes back, is at the end of his glorious 10-year-run for India and both Akash Deep and Mohammed Siraj are more than decent bowlers even as they do not have the menacing effect of Shami when Bumrah is operating from other end.

The real problem is the next-in-line bowlers. There's Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed, who are quick bowlers but consistency and fitness has been their problem.

Navdeep Saini's pace has dropped and his best years are