India's Assistant Coach Delivers Honest Assessment After ODI Defeat
Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate offered a straightforward evaluation following India's seven-wicket loss to New Zealand in the second ODI. He acknowledged that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has failed to make a significant impact despite receiving multiple opportunities. Ten Doeschate also pointed out that captain Rohit Sharma appears "short on cricket" as the series progresses.
Nitish Reddy's Missed Opportunity
Reddy, the sole change in India's playing eleven for the match, had a quiet performance. New Zealand comfortably chased down the target of 284 runs to level the three-match series. The all-rounder managed only 20 runs with the bat and remained wicketless during his two overs of bowling.
"With Nitish, we keep talking about developing him and getting him game time," ten Doeschate stated after the match. "Then when you do get him game time, he often ends up not doing a heck of a lot in the games."
The coach emphasized that situations like the second ODI presented exactly the kind of chances Reddy needs to seize. "For someone who's making their way, particularly with the bat tonight, it was that perfect chance," he explained. "You're walking in that situation and you've got a chance to spend 15 overs at the wicket. You really have to take those chances to push your case for selection."
Team Selection and Conditions
Looking back at the match, ten Doeschate admitted India might have misread the pitch conditions. New Zealand's spinners found considerable assistance from the surface, leading him to believe an additional spinner could have been more effective than persisting with an all-round option.
"If you look at the combinations we have played in the past, we do like the extra spinner," he noted. "Looking at the way the New Zealand spinners bowled, we could have done with another spinner."
The coach revealed that Ayush Badoni joined the squad at the last minute after Washington Sundar's injury in the previous game. The team believed Reddy would be better suited to the track, but the conditions proved otherwise.
Rohit Sharma's Form Concerns
Ten Doeschate also addressed Rohit Sharma's current form, suggesting that limited match practice might be contributing to his struggles. This comes despite the Indian captain participating in two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches earlier in the season.
"Rohit, I thought tonight particularly, both innings was a real new-ball wicket," the coach observed. "It didn't look easy to bat. Over a short period of time if you take the first ODI, he's not been as fluent as he has been."
He dismissed notions that Rohit was deliberately changing his approach. "I don't think it's a conscious approach," ten Doeschate clarified. "He's such a brutal player, but he's actually a touch player at the end of the day. He times the ball... so as soon as the wickets aren't very good, it's going to be difficult for him to look in fluent mode like he normally is."
The assistant coach attributed the situation to "a combination of the wickets being slightly difficult and maybe just being a little bit short on cricket leading into the series."
Batting Order and Player Roles
Regarding the batting lineup, ten Doeschate indicated that KL Rahul's impressive form creates interesting possibilities, including a regular position at number five.
"KL is certainly good enough to be at No. 5," he affirmed. "That was a quality hundred there and also the toll that keeping takes on guys in 50-overs cricket isn't that bad. It's not like we're protecting him."
He explained India's recent strategy: "One of our strategies in the last 18 months has been to prolong that batting order and we do like to use the all-rounder either high up the order or at No. 5 like we've done with Washy in the past. But that certainly is an avenue to explore."
Support for Ravindra Jadeja
The assistant coach expressed confidence in Ravindra Jadeja despite the spinner's modest wicket tally in recent ODI matches.
"I don't think he's feeling the heat," ten Doeschate asserted. "His stats are crazy and he's probably been a bit light on wickets of late. But it's not a concern."
He highlighted Jadeja's ongoing development: "The things we've looked at in terms of his pace that he's bowling, the things we've asked him to work on, I feel like he is actually bowling better. So, hopefully the wickets will follow with a bit of a lag."
Ten Doeschate's candid remarks provide clear insight into India's current challenges as they prepare for the series decider against New Zealand. The team management appears focused on both immediate results and long-term player development.
