'Pick power-hitters who can bowl'

Ravindra Jadeja T20I matches: 64 Runs: 457 Strike rate: 124.52 Wickets: 51 Economy rate: 7.04; Hardik Pandya T20I matches: 79 Runs: 1,117 Strike rate: 146.39 Wickets: 62 Economy rate: 8.31 and Deepak Hooda T20I matches: 13 Runs: 293 Strike rate: 153.40 Wickets: 1 Economy rate: 5.33

Power hitting will rule T20 cricket going forward and the Indian team need to play a brand of cricket where big-hitting batters contribute with the ball for the balance of the side, former India captain and coach Anil Kumble has suggested. The Indian team was blown away by England's power hitters Alex Hales and Jos Buttler in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide on Thursday.

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India's timid batting approach invited criticism from all quarters as it led to a heavy, 10-wicket defeat and ouster from the premier ICC event. "We always talk about bowlers who need to bat, but in Indian cricket, you need batters who bowl, for the balance of the team. That's exactly what England have. They had too many choices [on Thursday]. They used Liam Livingstone. Moeen Ali has hardly bowled in this tournament. So, those are the choices that you need," Kumble, 52, said on ESPNCricinfo. Kumble found fault with the selection of Indian teams, saying the current trend needs to change.

"Unfortunately, even in the India ‘A' team that gets picked, it's mostly batters, who don't bowl. It's important to create that brand of cricket and say that this is how the Indian team is going to do it and it should follow right through the system. The more you play T20s, it's going to be like this, where you just come and show your power. That's exactly how T20 is going to go forward," added Kumble.

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He also wants the BCCI to allow its young players to participate in different T20 leagues around the globe to gain exposure and experience before the 2024 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and USA. While the overseas players are welcomed in the IPL, the BCCI doesn't allow any active Indian cricketer to participate in foreign leagues. "Exposure certainly helps. We have seen that with the kind of development that it has had on Indian cricket. For example, the IPL, where overseas players come in and the kind of changes we've had in Indian cricket has certainly helped."

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