PUDUCHERRY: In an era where 350-plus totals in ODIs are becoming the norm, fast bowlers are often left walking a tightrope. India’s recent ODI series against the West Indies was a case in point, with the bowlers conceding 295 and 405 in the first two games before West Indies chased down 352 in the final ODI with 10 balls to spare.As India look towards the 2027 World Cup, where they begin their campaign against Australia on Oct 7, the threematch one-day series between India ‘A’ and Australia ‘A’ in Puducherry offers another window into the country’s pace reserves.The big question is: who can eventually emerge as the ideal partner for Jasprit Bumrah?With Arshad Khan, Gurjapneet Singh and Yash Thakur are part of the India ‘A’ setup, it will be interesting to see if anyone can step up.India ‘A’ coach Lakshmipathy Balaji believes the cupboard is far from bare. For him, the answer lies as much in patience and nurturing as it does in raw numbers.“Many have potential. High-scoring games are common now, but bowlers will adapt over time. Bumrah became world-class through time, effort and experience. Youngsters like Anshul (Kamboj) and Gurnoor (Brar) need time and grooming to match international demands. It won’t always be 350-400 run games; bowlers will adapt to modern demands very soon,” Balaji said.Anshul Kamboj was handed his ODI debut in the third game against West Indies after Prasidh Krishna was ruled out. It was, however, a baptism of fire as he conceded 82 runs in nine overs. Gurnoor Brar, who has nine ODIs under his belt, also had an expensive series, while Auqib Nabi went for 84 in 8.5 overs on his ODI debut. Prasidh, too, had a difficult outing in his two games.Yet Balaji does not see the recent run-fests as a cause for concern.“Nothing is lacking, everyone is working hard. Since both teams have scored heavily, batting has temporarily moved ahead of bowling in modern cricket. Once bowling units click together, a balanced contest between bat and ball will return soon,” he said.