IND vs NZ: Washington Sundar’s inclusion in the Test side was a strategically planned move by keeping in mind New Zealand’s batting lineup, feels India’s fielding coach Ryan Ten Doeschate. He has been called after his splendid display in the Ranji Trophy where he scored 150 and was a wicket-hauler.
Speaking before the second Test in Pune, ten Doeschate explained the rationale behind Sundar’s selection, “With four left-handers in their lineup, we wanted the option to take the ball away from them. Washington has been with the white-ball squad for some time and we appreciate his playing style. This also serves as recognition for strong performances in the Ranji Trophy.”
He claimed that this is not a panicky reaction because they are confident regarding a lot of spinners available to them at the moment. “We want to ensure that we do not go to the conditions inadequately prepared, and if it means having Sundar in there for the left-handers, we are prepared”, he said.
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Lessons From Bengaluru Test
India slips to 0-1 in the three-match series after a poor reading of the conditions in Bengaluru. Ten Doeschate said his team was eager to read the conditions much better for the Test in Pune. “We slightly misread the conditions in Bangalore, but we will do everything in our power to ensure a much better reading of the Pune wicket”, he added, while pointing towards the fact that ground staff has been preparing the pitch.
Player Fitness Updates
As Shubman Gill approaches almost full fitness and Rishabh Pant appears to be in little genuine discomfort, India’s selection would focus more on picking the right combination for the Pune conditions. Ten Doeschate noted, “Rishabh is doing fine, although he had some pain in his knee. We hope he’ll be fit to stay in the Test”.
Ten Doeschate felt there was an intense battle for player picks, mainly since the last game where Sarfaraz Ahmed scored a magnificent 150. “To be honest, there’s a fight for spots, and Sarfaraz did pretty well in the last Test. KL didn’t miss a ball in the last Test but struggled with his scoring.”
Fast Bowling Candidates
The seam bowling combination is another challenge. Mohammed Siraj picked up two wickets in the first Test, while Akash Deep was rested despite good performances in the last few series. Ten Doeschate appreciated Siraj’s quality bowling but said: “Siraj bowled beautifully in the second innings, though the conditions weren’t ideal for his strengths.”
He was equally optimistic about Akash Deep’s performance and said, “Akash has been bowling well and is near to getting a ticket back into the side.”
