Backed By Gautam Gambhir, 2 Indian Players Come In Firing Line

India's Head Coach Gautam Gambhir (Source: AFP)

Since Gautam Gambhir was appointed as India's head coach, his selection calls and bold coaching style have regularly come under scrutiny. 

Whenever India's squad is announced for a series and a player is included or left out, Gambhir often becomes a target on social media, and several former cricketers and analysts also question some of his decisions.

A similar situation has now emerged after India announced the squad for the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. The inclusion of Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy has attracted immense criticism.

Afghanistan are scheduled to host India in a three-match T20I series from September 13 to 17, with all three matches set to be played at the Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in New Delhi. 

S Badrinath Questions Gautam Gambhir's Backing Of Washington Sundar And Nitish Kumar Reddy

India named a 15-member squad for the Afghanistan T20I series, with Shreyas Iyer set to lead the side and Tilak Varma named his deputy. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have been included as wicketkeeper options.

Among the notable names in the squad are Jasprit Bumrah, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana. However, all four players are yet to receive fitness clearance from the BCCI's CoE.

S Badrinath believed that Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy have received strong backing from the team management led by Gautam Gambhir despite questions over their T20I performance.

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“At first look, the coach’s favourites are back. Washington Sundar is getting tremendous backing in Indian cricket. He needs to really make use of it. And somehow I don’t rate Nitish Kumar Reddy so high. That’s because of his bowling. I still feel he’s a batter and not someone I rate with the ball,” Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.

S Badrinath also made comments on Jasprit Bumrah's inclusion - "His return is a huge positive. It could also have been that Bumrah told the management that he wanted to play these three matches. Then they have to select him. We don’t know that. Bumrah might have spoken to Gambhir or the selection committee and said he wants to play because he hasn’t played cricket for long. So it could have been Bumrah’s option," said Badrinath.

Why Has Gautam Gambhir Backed Sundar And Nitish?

It is important to note that India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has backed Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy in T20Is.

The primary reason for the backing is due to his main coaching philosophy of including players in the the squad with multi-skilled and all-rounder ability.

Sundar's ability to bowl during the powerplay and contribute with the bat in the middle and lower order makes him a useful option. However, his overall impact in T20Is remains the talk of the town.

On the other side, Nitish Kumar Reddy has always been backed because of his all-rounder contribution. India’s management also sees him as a long-term asset and Hardik Pandya replacement for the future. 

Is Badrinath's Assessment And Criticism Of Washington Sundar And Nitish Kumar Reddy Justified?

S Badrinath's criticism is justified to an extent, particularly because both players are yet to completely establish themselves as automatic choices in India’s XI in T20Is. 

It is worth noting that another issue that justifies his comments is fitness concerns, as both the players have been included in the squad subject to fitness clearance. 

Taking a look at Sundar's stats in T20Is, he has played 62 matches and made 279 runs (SR - 126.81, AVG- 15.50) and bagged 51 wickets at an economy rate of 7.12. Nitish Kumar Reddy has featured in 4 T20Is, making 90 runs and taking 3 wickets.

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