Batting legend VVS Laxman feels too much workload is the main reason why India has failed to produce a genuine all-rounder of great Kapil Dev's class.
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"It's a very difficult role being an all-rounder. Kapil paaji was someone who could take wickets and score runs. He was the ultimate match-winner for India. But with the amount of workload nowadays, it's very, very difficult," Laxman said during a YouTube launch of a book written by Boria Majumdar at 'Tata Literature Live Sports Yatras'.
Players like Hardik Pandya have been constantly compared with Kapil, who has more than 9000 international runs and 687 international wickets to his name.
Without mentioning Hardik, Laxman said: "There were some glimpses from some players, because they were focusing a lot on both the skills, ultimately with the amount of workload and matches the Indian team plays in three formats, it's very difficult to manage.
"That player who has the ability to become a genuine all-rounder, unfortunately, gets injured and he has to compromise or he has to take a decision on either batting or bowling," he added.
After a lengthy layoff due to a lower back injury, Hardik Pandya returned to cricket in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 for the Mumbai Indians (MI) but did not bowl throughout the tournament.
His next assignment was the white-ball series in Australia, where Pandya bowled only four overs (in the 2nd ODI) despite playing all six games while he bowled a bit more against England in the T20Is and ODIs at home. In the ongoing IPL, Hardik has not bowled for MI so far.
According to Laxman, it is "not right to compare any sort of all-rounder with the legendary Kapil".
"I just feel that there can be only one Kapil. It (comparison) will put undue pressure on the player. There can be only one MS Dhoni, or one Sunil Gavaskar."
Laxman also backed Rishabh Pant to be India's first-choice wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup at home in October-November.
"India is spoilt for choices. The way Sanju Samson has batted, kept, and led Rajasthan Royals (in ongoing IPL), even though he did not have too much experience (in captaining) a side.
"Then there's Ishan Kishan. KL Rahul has done well whenever he got the gloves, and batted either top of the order or in the middle. But somehow I just feel Rishabh Pant is the player whom you should pick for the wicketkeeper-batsman slot. I will definitely go for Pant.
"Not only that he's really improved and impressed everyone with his keeping abilities, but as a left-handed batsman, he's someone who can take away the game from any opposition in any situation in the middle overs," he concluded.
(With PTI inputs)
