Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has demanded a review of the team selection for the IND vs SA ODIs after Nitish Kumar Reddy was left out of the playing XI for the game in Ranchi. In the absence of Hardik Pandya, the Andhra Pradesh all-rounder was expected to be a part of the line-up in the 1st ODI. However, India decided to go ahead with an extra spin all-rounder in the form of Washington Sundar in the XI instead. This didn’t sit well with Ashwin.
‘Why was Nitish Kumar Reddy picked?’
In a video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin claimed that there was something seriously wrong with the team selection if there was no place for Nitish in the playing XI in the absence of Hardik. The Tamil Nadu cricketer stated that the all-rounder had the calibre to deliver as effectively as Pandya, adding that he can get better with time.
“If we are not able to find a place for Nitish Kumar Reddy in a team that does not have Hardik Pandya, then there is something wrong in the squad selection, seriously, “Why was he picked? Because the fact that he can give what Hardik can give, and can get better over a period of time. But, if we can’t find a place for Nitish Kumar Reddy in this particular XI, then the squad selection must be properly reviewed,” Ashwin said.
Reddy was a part of India A’s team for the unofficial one-day games against South Africa A before he was asked to rejoin the Test side for the game in Guwahati. After sitting out of the IND vs SA 1st ODI, it remains to be seen if Gambhir and captain Rahul draft the all-rounder back into the playing XI, especially since Sundar failed with the bat and was underutilized with the ball.
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