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Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has taken a sharp dig at head coach Gautam Gambhir for his decision to drop Kuldeep Yadav from India’s playing XI in the first ODI against Australia, calling it a “strategic blunder” that exposed India’s bowling weaknesses.
Ashwin said India’s choice to pack the lineup with all rounders such as Axar Patel and Washington Sundar backfired badly on the large Australian outfield, where a specialist wrist spinner like Kuldeep could have made a major impact.
Kuldeep’s wrist spin gives you bounce and overspin that’s what you need in these conditions,” Ashwin said. “You can’t compromise a strike bowler for an extra batting option. The batters must take responsibility for runs.”
Since returning to the ODI setup in 2022, Kuldeep Yadav has picked up 51 wickets in 28 matches at an economy of 4.9, outperforming all of India’s spin all-rounders in both strike rate and consistency.
Debate Over Gambhir’s Coaching Style
The loss has made people pay closer attention to Gambhir’s coaching methods. Gambhir was once known for being bold and fearless as a player, but now he’s being criticized for choosing a more cautious and safe way of selecting players.
Experts and former players say that not including a strong bowler like Kuldeep made it hard for India to control the middle overs, which is an important part of the game that can determine the outcome in Australia.
With two One Day Internationals left to play, India needs to perform well and find the right balance in their team. At the same time, Ashwin’s sharp comments have brought up a bigger discussion about whether India’s current one-day cricket approach should focus more on having strong batsmen or strong bowlers. This question could play a big role in Gambhir’s time as head coach.
