Sharma laments lack of allrounders

Panaji: Former India allrounder Chetan Sharma has been having a good look at the Indian cricket team but cannot see too many of his ilk.
“I cannot see any genuine allrounder in the Indian team at the moment. During our days there was Kapil Dev, Manoj Prabhakar, Madan Lal, to name a few, but right now the cupboard is bare,” Sharma told TOI during an interaction in the city on Wednesday.
“More recently, if I can count someone, it has to be Irfan Pathan and before that Robin Singh. We are struggling now. Stuart Binny looks to be the only all-rounder (at the moment) but he has his limitations and has not as yet proved himself,” said Sharma.
Sharma felt part of India’s current woes -- losing to South Africa in the ODI series, for example -- was because there were no genuine allrounders who could provide the balance.
“After so many good allrounders, suddenly there is vacuum. There must be a problem somewhere. The selectors are doing their bit but there is a limit to what they can do. If you cannot see anyone in first class cricket, how will you select,” asked Sharma, who has to his credit the first hat-trick by an Indian in One-day Internationals and a century while batting at No 4.
Sharma, along with several other cricketers, have now joined hands with the Sports Authority of India to launch an ambitious programme that will target young cricketers at the school level and possibly help them make the big grade.
The National School Cricket Talent Search and Nurture Project under the auspices of School Sports Promotion Foundation will commence next month with Sharma as chairman of the School Cricket Council.
“If not for schools cricket, Chetan Sharma would not have been here. Just like me, there were several others with me who got the big break because of performances at the school level,” said Sharma, pointing to the likes of Maninder Singh and Saba Karim.