Shubman Gill’s debut as India’s ODI captain unfortunately concluded with a heavy seven-wicket defeat against Australia in a rain-affected match held in Perth. The loss brought India’s vulnerabilities to light, exposing weaknesses in both their batting performance and bowling attack, which struggled to make an impact. A significant point of contention was the team’s selection, notably the decision to drop Kuldeep Yadav, a move that drew considerable scrutiny.
Former India international Mohammad Kaif didn’t hold back in his assessment of the bowling unit. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he lambasted the team’s over-reliance on part-time bowlers and stressed that wins can’t always depend solely on star pacers like Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami. Kaif specifically pointed out Nitish Kumar Reddy, labeling him ‘not a complete bowler,’ and felt that the rest of the attack lacked the necessary bite on a pitch that offered some assistance to bowlers.
“This team had too many part-time options,” Kaif commented. “Nitish Reddy isn’t a complete bowler, and even Sundar struggled to find rhythm on this pitch. Harshit Rana too would be disappointed. The bowlers had a real opportunity to turn the game around, even with a modest total. But when will they shoulder that responsibility? You simply can’t expect to win only when Bumrah or Shami are in the lineup.”
India was dismissed for just 136 runs in 26 overs, a total made in a match marred by several rain interruptions. After a DLS adjustment, Australia was set a revised target of 131, which they comfortably chased down in just 21.1 overs. For India, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar each managed to pick up a single wicket, while KL Rahul (38), Axar Patel (31), and Nitish Reddy (19 not out) offered brief glimmers of resistance with the bat.
Kaif also scrutinized Gill’s captaincy, questioning the strategic decision to leave out Kuldeep Yadav. He drew a compelling parallel with the legendary Shane Warne, highlighting that genuine, match-winning bowlers are the true game-changers, especially in conditions like Australia.
“This match was also a real test for Gill as a captain. He chose not to play Kuldeep, a genuine wicket-taker,” Kaif stated. “It felt like they tried to cover every possible base but overlooked the most critical element. Shane Warne consistently excelled in Australia across all formats. I was genuinely disappointed that Kuldeep didn’t play. Kuhnemann took two wickets, which underscores that by omitting Kuldeep, India prioritized squad depth over sheer bowling quality.”