“Don’t give bowling…”- Former India star slams team management during IND vs WI 2nd Test in Delhi

The former Indian star player, Dodda Ganesh, has blamed the Indian team management of head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill during the fourth day of the second Test against the West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. He slammed the decision of the Blue Brigade not to throw the ball at Nitish Kumar Reddy.

On the eve of the game, India’s coaching staff revealed that they wanted to transform Reddy into a proper pace bowling all-rounder, like a replacement for what Hardik Pandya was anticipated to be in the longest format, for the overseas Test matches. However, Shubman Gill, despite not getting wickets of the West Indies in the second innings, didn’t give a single over to Reddy.

See Also: Ravindra Jadeja writes new international record during IND vs WI 2nd Test in Delhi

“How are you preparing Nitish Reddy for the all-rounder role if you don’t give him bowling at all? #INDvsWI.” Ganesh expressed in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). Nitish bowled only four overs in the opening encounter at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Dodda Ganesh slams India’s decision to keep Nitish Reddy out of bowling during IND vs WI 2nd Test

Reddy has overall smashed 343 runs in 13 innings of the longest format at an average of under 30 with a vital century at MCG during the BGT 2024-25. However, he has picked up only eight red-ball wickets and bowled 76 overs in 13 innings. That’s so huge bowling for someone who is expected to be the leading pace bowling all-rounder for a six in overseas games.

In the first innings, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja shared eight wickets between them as India spent 81.5 overs in the field. Having enforced the follow-on, they spent 118.5 overs in the second innings. Even when they failed to break the century stand for the third wicket, Gill refused to bring Reddy into the attack.

India will play South Africa at home in the next Test series before flying to Sri Lanka next August. However, when they make their trip to New Zealand, Reddy’s contribution will be immense. But he has to be ready by then to bowl long spells and 15+ overs in a day’s play.