Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has questioned Ayush Badoni’s selection for the remaining two ODIs against New Zealand. Kaif believes UP batter Rinku Singh would have been a like-for-like replacement for Washington Sundar, who was ruled out with a side strain injury.
Badoni has played 27 List A games in which he has scored 693 runs, including a century and 5 fifties, and has picked up 18 wickets. Thus, many experts have questioned his selection in the squad.
Kaif highlighted that Rinku Singh has played the finisher role with success in T20s and he should have been preferred ahead of Ayush Badoni. The former UP batter said Riyan Parag would not have been a perfect replacement for Washington Sundar as he is a top-order batter.
Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube Channel, “Look, Parag bats higher up the order. I do not see Parag batting at number seven or eight. Yes, Rinku Singh plays that role. If there is a need to hit a couple of sixes in the last overs, that is the role he has been performing consistently. That has always been his role. He fits perfectly into the same slot that Washington Sundar used to occupy in this team. Rinku Singh is a like-for-like fit in that position. He has experience, he is an experienced player, has been playing the IPL for many years, has been playing white-ball cricket, and has been travelling with the Indian team as part of the squad.”
“He is a like-for-like replacement and can also bowl a little, two or three overs. So I am not including Parag here. For me, it is Rinku Singh versus Ayush Badoni. You asked a very valid question that Rinku also plays a similar role. Badoni is also a number six or seven finisher, but Rinku Singh is a proven finisher. So there will definitely be a question as to why Rinku Singh’s name did not come up,” he added.
Kaif concluded, “Because if two, three, or even four overs need to be bowled, he can manage that as well, even up to four or five overs. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Uttar Pradesh and earlier in the T20s, he has been bowling. He was the captain there and bowled three, four, or five overs in every match. So this will definitely raise a question as to why Rinku Singh’s name was not considered.”
The second ODI between India and New Zealand will be played at Rajkot on Wednesday.
