India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate
Credit: X
Rajkot: Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate struck a critical note, admitting that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has "often ended up not doing a heck of a lot" despite being given opportunities, while also observing that Rohit Sharma remains "short on cricket" even after playing two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches.
Reddy, the sole change in India's playing XI for the second ODI, failed to make an impact with either bat or ball as the hosts went down by seven wickets to New Zealand here on Wednesday.
"With Nitish, we keep talking about developing him and getting him game time and then when you do get him game time, he often ends up not doing a heck of a lot in the games," ten Doeschate told reporters after the match.
He indicated that Reddy needed to seize his opportunity in the second ODI but managed only 20 runs and went wicketless in his two overs as New Zealand chased down India's 284 to win by seven wickets and level the three-match series.
"For someone who's making their way, particularly with the bat tonight (Wednesday), it was that perfect chance where 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 to be selected," the former Dutch player added.
Ten Doeschate admitted that, in hindsight, India would have preferred playing a third spinner instead of Reddy, given how effectively New Zealand's spinners exploited the conditions.
"If you look at the combinations we have played in the past, we do like the extra spinner. To bring Ayush (Badoni) into the squad at the very last minute with Washy (Washington Sundar) going down in the (last) game, we thought Nitish should be better suited on this track," he said.
"Looking at the way the New Zealand spinners bowled, we could have done (it) with another spinner." In a season where both Indian superstars, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, returned to the premier domestic 50-over competition for their respective state teams following the BCCI's diktat, ten Doeschate said the latter is "short on cricket".
"Rohit, I thought tonight particularly, both innings was a real new-ball wicket. It didn't look easy to bat. Over a short period of time if you take the first ODI, he's (Rohit) not been as fluent as he has been and that's going to be a challenge for him, not playing cricket between series," ten Doeschate said.
Asked if Rohit has made a conscious approach to change his batting style according to the wicket, he said, "I don't think it's a conscious approach.
"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.
"He's definitely not the sort of guy to play for himself. It's just a combination of the wickets being slightly difficult and maybe just being a little bit short on cricket leading into the series." Ten Doeschate said given the form KL Rahul is in, he could be sent in at No 5.
"KL is certainly good enough to be at No. 5. That was a quality hundred there and also the toll that keeping takes on guys in 50-overs cricket, (it) isn't that bad. It's not like we're protecting him," he said.
"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. With KL finding the form that he's in now, he can be a regular No. 5 and (then) you play all-rounders," he added.
The former Dutch player also defended Ravindra Jadeja for his ordinary returns in ODIs of late.
"I don't think he's feeling the heat. His stats are crazy and he's probably been a bit light on wickets of late.
"But it's not a concern. 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," he added. PTI DDV AM AM AM