India, Oct. 13 -- Think of the best contemporary players who play across formats, and Harry Brook's name springs to mind. Some would think of Travis Head. Jofra Archer among fast bowlers. It is impossible to forget Jasprit Bumrah, but the Indian pacer's fitness and workload concerns have turned him into a special-purpose entity.

England has a few others, like Ben Duckett and Will Jacks, who are seen on the international circuit year-round. South Africa has Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada. Among leading nations, there's also Australia's Cameroon Green. But what about the Indian team?

Over the last two years, India has had no single player with a sizable all-format presence. A marked difference from the past, where there was...