Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Questions around leadership often surface after a series defeat, and India’s 1–2 loss to New Zealand has been no different. This time, the spotlight has fallen on captain Shubman Gill and his on-field decisions during crucial moments. Former India spinner R Ashwin offered a straightforward assessment as he broke down where he felt India fell short and why experienced captains are often valued more in tight situations.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin explained what separates great captains from good ones. “Why do we praise Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni so much as captains? Because they know where to use the resources and when to bring the resources, and against which batsman. That was a little missing. You shouldn’t lose confidence in a bowler on the basis of the previous game,” he said.Ashwin felt the middle overs played a major role in deciding the series. India, according to him, failed to apply enough pressure when New Zealand’s middle order was settling in.He believed this was more about planning than execution. The bowling options were there, but they were not used at the right time.Kuldeep Yadav’s handling drew specific criticism. Ashwin felt the left-arm spinner could have been more effective if trusted with short, aggressive spells. “I would have loved to see two-over spells. If the same Glenn Phillips had to encounter Kuldeep Yadav through the middle overs in two-over spells… give one run to Daryl Mitchell, try and bowl round the stumps. If you use the resources properly and if there is a failure, then it’s done. The point is, you bowl your best bowlers at the right time.”According to Ashwin, Gill seemed cautious during pressure moments. He suggested past performances may have influenced those calls. He also felt there was no clear Plan B once momentum shifted.
