India played South Africa in the first ODI at the JSCA International Sports Complex. Still, one decision before the match caught everyone's attention: Nitish Kumar Reddy was not included in the playing XI.
Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his surprise at this decision on his YouTube channel. He said that when the team doesn't have a senior seam-bowling all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, a young all-rounder like Reddy should have been given a chance.
Ashwin believes that even if Reddy didn't get a chance to play, the selectors should have included a suitable replacement in the 15-man squad. He believes Reddy can bring the same skills Hardik provides to the team and can only improve 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 is 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 on his YouTube channel.
In the first ODI, India played two spin-bowling all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, while Rishabh Pant, Tilak Varma, Dhruv Jurel, and Reddy were benched. The match was high-scoring, but questions remained about whether the team management had struck the right balance.
Ashwin backs India's aggressive approach to white-ball cricket
Ashwin also praised India's new aggressive approach to white-ball cricket. He stated that much of the credit for this change goes to former head coach Rahul Dravid and former captain Rohit Sharma. According to Ashwin, Rohit's aggressive batting on the field has guided the team. Both Dravid and Rohit have made it clear that the strike rate is crucial in white-ball cricket.
Ashwin believes that the pace and confidence gained in India's T20 and ODI batting are a result of these two approaches. However, he also noted that decisions like player selection need to be reconsidered, as providing a platform to talented players at the right time is the team's greatest strength.
