Sunil Gavaskar Says India Do Not Have Bowlers Who Will Take Five Wickets

Before the start of the Sri Lanka series, India skipper Virat Kohli regularly emphasised on the fact that the team's main objective would be to take 20 wickets and thus the team would consist of five bowlers. With the inclusion of Stuart Binny for the second Test, it was believed that the team would be balanced. (BLOG) (SCORECARD)

However, Sunil Gavaskar has raised doubts about India's bowling and has stated that the team does not have bowlers who can pick wickets consistently. (Rahul Hits Ton, Visitors Recover to 319/6)

Speaking to NDTV after the end of the first day of the second Test in Colombo, Gavaskar said the team was playing with four and a quarter bowlers. (Gavaskar: India Sacrificed Rahane at No 3)

"India does not have bowlers who will take five wickets. Maybe Ishant Sharma on a good day and R Ashwin, but no one else," he said.

He pointed out the example of the Australian and West Indies team of the early 80's and 90's and said that due to the inability of the bowlers to take five wickets on a regular basis, it also hurt the team composition.

"The team has good bowlers like Umesh Yadav and Amit Mishra who can take a couple of wickets. The Indian team does not have an allrounder who can come to bat at number six and give them that extra option.

The former captain felt Rohit Sharma has played a "career defining knock to an extent" since there was a lot of pressure on him to perform.

"He has made the most of opportunity. There was already a partnership between Kohi and Rahul, the Lankan bowlers were tired. It was right time to come in and bat and he capitalised on that," he said.

Gavaskar said batting lower down the order suits Rohit Sharma more.

"He has this tendency to reach out to ball. When the ball is moving, it's difficult for him to change the shot. It's better if he bats lower down the order."