Rotate, keep pacers afresh, go full-throttle: The new 'mantra'

When a captain is blessed with the 'problem of plenty', he may forget to fathom which weapon to sharpen and which one to use. 'Weapon' not in its diabolical conjecture but pure efficacy. The Windies 'fearsome foursome' of the 70s and 80s, the Aussie juggernauts of Thomson and Lillie and the deadly trio of Wasim-Waqar-Shoaib had mesmerized the past while India's insipid pace corridors trembled haplessly. But not anymore.

Read: Jasprit Bumrah Shares A 'started From Bottom, Now We're Here' Picture

The Indian 'Pentagon'

Metamorphosed from the past isolated brilliance of Kapil Dev, Zaheer Khan & Javagal Srinath, a new-age Indian 'pace battery' is innovated with back up bowling machinery or the 'support cast' equally strong as the protagonist. This 'duracell' battery now enjoys the same adulation once privileged to the Windies and the Aussies in a zone of its own with the captain juggling with his 'many options' honing a few skills while preserving some others. The 'Pentagon' of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, and Umesh Yadav may never be seen in action together but they have formed a lifeline so intrinsic that supports each other and ready to transcend into the next generation.

Read: This Day, That Year: 19-year-old Kapil Dev Makes Test Debut In 1978

'No longer a question of seniority'

And when you see the most accomplished and senior-most among them - Ishant sitting out or giving way to a rookie left-arm spinner, you understand the very 'depth' of it and the culture of the 'rotation' policy. The selectors and the team management have adopted this rotation policy with the fast bowlers giving them time to regroup and recuperate from the engaging and exhausting international fixtures.

Read: IND Vs SA: Kapil Dev Hails Contribution Of Indian Fast Bowlers

"Ishant has to be kept fit and  Bumrah, Umesh & Shami too and why forget Bhuvi? All five of them are real high-quality pace bowlers. So its no longer a question of seniority or superiority. Its all about availability and durability. So no problem Ishant despite being the senior-most sits out. I am absolutely okay with it if you have better options in Shami & Umesh. And when Bumrah and Bhuvenshwar come back there will be fresh problem of plenty," is how Ishant Sharma's coach Shravan Kumar summed up.

Read: Ironic! Ishant's Coach Says Shami & Umesh Are "better Options"