Ashwin Fears India's Bowling Depth Will Suffer as Batting Dominance Makes Fast Bowling Less Appealing
Ravichandran Ashwin, India's second-highest Test wicket-taker with 537 wickets in 106 matches, has raised pointed questions about the future of bowling in Indian cricket. Speaking to RevSportz, the retired spinner said the dominance of white-ball batting risks turning an entire generation of young cricketers away from the art of bowling.
"Bowling as a sport is not attractive enough"
"I am worried bowling is not as attractive as batting and kids might not take up the sport for those reasons," Ashwin said. "Bowling as a sport is not attractive enough. It's like you are entertaining people, giving those sixes. So, who would really want to think that bowling will enable us to win tournaments or series?"
Ashwin drew a sharp distinction between batting and bowling, calling them "different sports" within the same game. His concern centres on a simple observation: when sixes and centuries dominate highlights and social media, the hard graft of bowling fades into the background. And if fewer kids want to bowl, the pipeline dries up.
The post-Bumrah question
The timing of Ashwin's comments matters. India just retained the T20 World Cup in March 2026, with Jasprit Bumrah once again their most dangerous weapon across formats. But Bumrah will not be around forever. Ashwin's blunt question to Indian cricket was: what happens when he stops?
India's pace group looked formidable not long ago, with Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma all available in Test cricket at the same time. That depth has already thinned. Shami has played less international cricket since the 2023 ODI World Cup final after undergoing Achilles surgery in February 2024 and dealing with recurring setbacks. Ishant's last Test was in November 2021. Finding the next wave is no longer a future problem. It is a present one.
Confidence in batting, concern elsewhere
Ashwin said he believes India's batting stocks are deep enough to keep winning white-ball trophies over the next decade. The concern lies entirely with the ball. "Bowling is not as effective as the batting and that's where the concern lies," he added.
For someone who took 537 Test wickets and retired in December 2024 as India's second-highest wicket-taker behind Anil Kumble (619 wickets in 132 Tests), Ashwin has earned the right to ask uncomfortable questions. Whether the BCCI, IPL franchises and state associations listen is another matter entirely.
