Team India’s bowling coach Paras Mhambrey added that senior Indian players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli resting from the white-ball series of the South African tour didn’t mean that they were taking it lightly. However, Mhambrey opened up on how the seniors in the Indian team know their role and how youngsters show what they can do in their absence, especially in pressure situations as well.

Speaking to PTI, Paras Mhambrey said: “(Rohit Virat resting) in no way it means that bilateral T20Is aren’t important. All I’m saying is that there is a balance that every player must maintain. Also it depends on who we are talking about. Players like Rohit, Virat look at very specific areas in their T20 games be it IPL or India. One would like to watch younger players during bilaterals and examine and understand areas of their adaptability — game awareness, pressure situations, how they adapt to these varied situations the Indian jersey carries.”

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However, Paras Mhambrey also said that it is largely a false narrative that young budding Indian bowlers want to prioritize white ball cricket over Test cricket. He also said that barring a few exceptions, the majority of the young generation wants to earn the Indian Test cap as well.

“I would never say people don’t want to play red-ball cricket. Even now if you ask any aspiring fast bowler or spinner what is the format you want to excel in, he will always pick Test cricket first. Yes, obviously, there will be some bowlers, who would choose the white ball format. They would have probably played all formats and then decided that their game and skill-sets suit the white ball format more. Now that will be a very individual call and no one can do anything about it,” he concluded.