Our Bureau
New Delhi
Shubman Gill’s captaincy is under the spotlight after India lost the ODI series 1-2 to New Zealand. R Ashwin, the former India spinner, didn’t hold back, he questioned why Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni get so much credit as captains, especially when Gill’s decisions in key moments just didn’t measure up.
Ashwin really broke it down on his YouTube channel. He pointed out that what sets great captains like Rohit and Dhoni apart is their feel for the game, they know exactly when and how to use their bowlers, and which batsman to target. That touch, Ashwin said, was missing this time. He also warned against losing faith in a bowler just because of one bad outing.
The real trouble came in the middle overs. India just couldn’t squeeze New Zealand’s middle order or put them under any kind of pressure. Ashwin blamed the planning, not the skills. The bowlers were there, but Gill didn’t use them the right way.
Kuldeep Yadav’s role especially bugged Ashwin. He wanted to see Kuldeep come in for short, punchy two-over spells, keep the batsmen guessing, don’t let them settle. Ashwin even pictured how Glenn Phillips might’ve struggled if Kuldeep kept popping up in those quick bursts, mixing things up around the stumps.
When the heat was on, Gill seemed too cautious. It looked like he let previous games mess with his judgment, and once New Zealand stole the momentum, there was no solid backup plan. Ashwin kept stressing the same thing: use your best bowlers at the right time.
