Jharkhand coach says bench testing will help state cricket long term
Jharkhand coach Ratan Kumar views the absence of rising players as a necessary test of bench strength that will benefit the state in the long run.
Jharkhand coach Ratan Kumar says the absence of Kumar Kushagra and Shikhar Mohan will ultimately strengthen the state's cricket despite leaving the Ranji Trophy side short-handed. Kushagra has joined India's T20I squad against New Zealand after Ishan Kishan's injury, while Shikhar Mohan has been called up to India A.
Kumar said Jharkhand must get used to missing players, noting that Mumbai and Karnataka have long coped with similar absences. He added that building a deeper bench is necessary if five players are to represent India or India A regularly.
Shikhar has scored back-to-back hundreds in the current Ranji season after 613 runs at 55.72 last year. Kushagra scored a century against Australia A in September and has shown he can perform in longer formats despite his IPL contract.
CricHubb Take
States that treat national call-ups as setbacks rather than opportunities risk falling behind; Jharkhand's willingness to adapt could become a model for other boards facing similar talent drains.