Rohit Sharma’s Team India opted for two spinners in their playing XI for the first time in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia. Ravindra Jadeja was joined by Washington Sundar for the must-win Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne.
Earlier in the ongoing five-match Test series, Team India relied on a single spinner in each game with Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja getting the chance, respectively, against the Australian cricket team at Perth, Adelaide, and Brisbane.
Rohit Sharma’s tactics under fire in the Boxing Day Test
However, for the fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test, the Indian cricket team made a tactical shift, which led to Shubman Gill being left out of the playing XI. However, it was not that Gill’s snub stunned many, but the way Rohit Sharma underutilized Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar; left many cricketing legends across the world baffled.
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Team India went with three all-rounders in Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, but Rohit Sharma failed to make the most of his resources against Australia in the ongoing Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled only seven overs at the MCG.
On the other hand, Washington Sundar was given only 15 overs, where the spin all-rounder conceded 49 runs and scalped one wicket, while Ravindra Jadeja snared three wickets in his 23 overs and bowled three maiden overs against Australia in the first innings in the ongoing fourth Test.
Dodda Ganesh calls out Team India’s bizarre batting strategy at the MCG
Well, Rohit Sharma made a number of tactical errors when it comes to using his bowlers, but the former Indian cricketer Dodda Ganesh was furious with the idea of sending Akash Deep to bat after Jaiswal’s wicket at number five despite them having three all-rounders in the line-up.
Dodda Ganesh sparked an intense debate on social media by questioning Team India’s baffling decision-making during the ongoing Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). He was stunned by Rohit Sharma’s surprising move to send Akash as a nightwatchman to face the fiery Australian pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland.
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Expressing his frustration over the Indian cricket team’s tactics, the cricket pundit questioned the decision to send Akash Deep as a nightwatchman ahead of the three all-rounders to handle the fiery pacers Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland on Day 2, and it cost them another wicket.
Doesn’t make any cricketing sense: Dodda Ganesh on sending Akash Deep as nightwatchman
He slammed Rohit Sharma’s captaincy and the logic behind exposing ill-equipped Akash Deep to such a daunting challenge, especially since Team India have Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar in the XI, and they could have handled the task much better.
Dodda Ganesh posted on his social media handle X after the end of Day 2: “You’ve picked 3 all-rounders, but still you send the ill-equipped Akash deep as the night watchman to handle Starc and Boland. Seriously. Doesn’t make any cricketing sense #BGT2024”
You’ve picked 3 all rounders but still you send the Ill-equipped Akashdeep as the night watchman to handle Starc and Boland. Seriously. Doesn’t make any cricketing sense #BGT2024
— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) December 27, 2024
India’s call backfired, as the Indian pacer was dismissed for a duck by Scott Boland after facing 13 balls on Day 2 at the MCG. The thought process behind the call would have been to save the all-rounders for Day 3, as India is still 111 runs away from avoiding the follow-on in the ongoing Boxing Day Test against Australia.
