India’s ODI Selection Under Fire: Ashwin Asks About All-Rounder Count

Following India’s seven-wicket loss to Australia in the opening ODI in Perth, veteran spinner R Ashwin has voiced concerns over the team’s perplexing team selection. The game, played under challenging wet weather, saw India collapse to 136/9 in a rain-curtailed 26-over match. Ashwin specifically targeted the decision to leave out the impactful Kuldeep Yadav, questioning the necessity of so many all-rounders. India opted for a lineup featuring three pace bowlers and three all-rounders, including spinners Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, and the ODI debut of Nitish Kumar Reddy. Ashwin stated, “Please give a little importance to the bowling as well.” He believes that on spacious Australian grounds, Kuldeep’s wicket-taking prowess and ability to get extra bounce through overspin would be invaluable. The former off-spinner criticized the emphasis on batting depth, suggesting that if extra batters are brought in, the top order needs to shoulder more responsibility. “How many all-rounders do you want? You already have three,” he remarked, questioning the logic of prioritizing batting extension over selecting the strongest bowling attack. With Australia comfortably chasing their target, India must re-evaluate their strategy ahead of the next encounter in Adelaide.