Overview
- Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal, speaking on The Game Plan, blamed tactical calls by captain Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir for India’s first-ever home ODI series defeat to New Zealand.
- They objected to bringing medium pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy on before specialist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja despite early wickets.
- Akmal highlighted over-allocation to Harshit Rana, who conceded 84 in 10 overs, while Kuldeep and Jadeja bowled only six overs as New Zealand’s specialist spinner completed ten.
- Basit Ali questioned the batting order against debutant left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox, saying Ravindra Jadeja should have preceded Reddy alongside Virat Kohli.
- Both argued Gill’s appointment as ODI captain came too soon, comparing it to Pakistan elevating Babar Azam in 2018, while noting no official change in India’s leadership has been indicated.