Former Indian spinner Murali Kartik has questioned India’s playing XI for the first ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland on Wednesday. India is playing with four fast bowlers in Arshdeep Singh, Auqib Nabi Dar, Gurnoor Brar and Anshul Kamboj.
The visitors didn’t include Mohammed Siraj in the playing XI whereas Kuldeep Yadav continues to miss out in the final XI. Yadav had also not played a single game in the T20I series.
“We are going with the four fast bowlers and two all-rounders with Naman and Axar, with Anshul, Aaqib, Gurnoor and Arshdeep,” Shubman Gill said at the toss.
Kartik questioned India for backing Gurnoor Brar and Auqib Nabi Dar, who were both expensive against the West Indies.
“Literally defies logic for me. I’m trying to figure out what, because what is it? Gurnoor has gone for 96 or 97 runs twice now. Aaqib Nabi did really well in Ranji Trophy cricket, and why are you getting rid of Mohammed Siraj from the playing XI? What wrong has he done? You are trying to groom Nitish Kumar Reddy as the next all-rounder, and you have picked him for only this game, but he is not there,” Murali Kartik said on Cricbuzz.
“Kuldeep Yadav, what does it have to do with the size of the boundary? New Zealand is not Melbourne or Adelaide. He is the common denominator; he is in all three squads. Whether you are a rhythm bowler or not, just from a mental perspective, you are always thinking about what needs to be done to find a regular place in all three teams,” the former KKR spinner added.
On the other hand, former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu also questioned the team management for dropping Kuldeep Yadav.
“Maybe they are thinking that since it is New Zealand, they have to play four fast bowlers. Since Nitish is not there in that side, that is the reason they have picked an extra pacer. They want the batting of Naman Dhir, but they don’t have the bowling of Nitish Kumar Reddy, which is why there is an extra seamer there. India should play to their strengths, so play three seamers and a spinner. Who will get through those middle overs?”
New Zealand were bowled out for 185 while batting first on Wednesday.
