Ashwin, Jadeja, Kumble, Dipak Patel all went bat to bowler route, Patel in tests too.
It happens. Even for faster bowlers in tests like Franklin becoming a batsman later, as against Boult being an age group batsman with KW only to be a #11 bunny by u-19 bowling fast.
A particularly sore case for NZC is Jacob Oram who really really wanted to be a batsman, but NZC kept selecting him for his bowling.
I am pretty sure that Steve Smith always sore himself as a batsman first, but wasn't going to turn down intl selection.
Then some cricketers from NZC are just so bits and pieces, and changed their roles so much over their cricket careers at domestic back and forth, C Kuggeleijn, Bradburn especially, maybe M Hart and Priest too, noone really knows what they're being picked for.
I mean seriously - what is this guy?
Chris Kuggeleijn | New Zealand Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPNcricinfo
1st Test, New Zealand tour of India at Bengaluru, Nov 12-17 1988 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo
Evan Gray is def a bowling allrounder, but what is Kuggeliejn senior?
By his next test he looks like a specialist batsman.
3rd Test, New Zealand tour of India at Hyderabad, Dec 2-6 1988 | Match Summary | ESPNCricinfo