Subhayan Chakraborty
With the series already in the bag at 2-0, India are looking to prioritise squad depth and tactical exploration over a ruthless clean sweep. Speaking ahead of the third and final ODI against Afghanistan in Chennai on Saturday, India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate made it clear that the team management is eager to test the bench strength.
“No, we will be making a few changes from the first two games,” ten Doeschate said at the pre-match presser, dismissing the idea of fielding an unchanged side. “Part of the brief coming into the series was that we wanted to try a few different combinations and give everyone a fair share of games.”
As part of this rotation policy, premier pacer Arshdeep Singh is set to be given a breather. “Someone like Arshdeep has bowled very well in the first two games; he can probably take a rest tomorrow, and the same goes for one of the batters,” he added.
However, ten Doeschate confirmed that the top three of the Indian batting line-up is unlikely to witness any major shuffles with Yashasvi Jaiswal set to get another chance after lean returns in Lucknow.
“The versatility of that batting line-up is fantastic,” ten Doeschate remarked. “But KL will not bat at No. 3 tomorrow. We want to have a look at Yashasvi [Jaiswal] as well; obviously, he didn’t get runs in the last game. He’ll probably get another go.”
The management is heavily weighing the value of competitive opportunities, even when balance remains the overarching goal. “It’s incredibly tough because there is so much quality,” the assistant coach admitted regarding the top-order logjam. “But he’s [Jaiswal] one of those guys who, when he does get the odd chance, has to score runs.”
India’s search for robust pace-bowling all-rounders remains a high priority, and the spotlight has firmly fallen on Nitish Kumar Reddy. After missing the previous match due to minor soreness, Reddy is cleared to feature in the final game.
Ten Doeschate spoke highly of Reddy’s trajectory: “Over the last 18 months, he has shown glimpses of how important he can be to this team… I feel his body is getting stronger and stronger. He is the natural successor or back-up to Hardik [Pandya].”
Providing an update on the medical room, ten Doeschate brushed aside any major concerns regarding Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan.
“Shubman, yes, [is fit]. Just the heat the other day — he was cramping in his calves a little bit, but he’s absolutely fine. Ishan’s shoulder is fine; he recovered well after batting,” he confirmed. Young speedster Harshit Rana has also returned to the fold after five months of rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. “To miss a World Cup and competitions like that for a young guy is tough, but you suspect he’s someone who will get at least a couple more chances,” said ten Doeschate.
The coach also strongly backed spinner Kuldeep Yadav, whose form has faced scrutiny. Defending the wrist-spinner, ten Doeschate noted: “The wickets are always there, and I thought he bowled really well the other night… No real concerns about him. We always like to play a wrist-spinner or a mystery spinner as the case may be.”
While experimentation is the theme of the dead rubber, India have no intention of dropping their guard completely. “The first priority is always to win the series and put your best team out,” ten Doeschate concluded, setting expectations for a balanced performance at Chepauk.
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