‘Could have handled it better’: Ryan ten Doeschate on India’s number 3 Test selection
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘Could have handled it better’: Ryan ten Doeschate on India’s number 3 Test selection")
‘Could have handled it better’ Ten Doeschate on India’s number 3 Test selection Photograph: (Others)
India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admits the management could have handled the Test number three selection better, promising an extended run for either Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal ahead of the Afghanistan clash.
Since Cheteshwar Pujara’s exit from India’s Test side, the two-time WTC Final runners-up have failed to find a replacement for the crucial number three spot. Even though India tried several newcomers, including Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Karun Nair and even Washington Sundar, nothing has worked yet. Currently sitting sixth in the WTC standings and needing to win at least seven of the remaining nine matches in this cycle, barring this Afghanistan Test, Team India needs to address this quickly. Speaking on the same, India's assistant coach, Ryan Ten Doeschate, said the management could have done better in nailing the number three spot.
The potent number three position is perhaps the most significant in the batting lineup, with countless legends embracing it over the years. Since Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Test retirements, the management has made a few forced changes, including bringing Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul as openers, and pushing the newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill at number four, leaving the number three spot vacant.
Also read | Ruturaj Gaikwad to replace Virat Kohli for Afghanistan ODIs; RCB captain Patidar earns India-A call-up
"Yeah, look, there's been a lot of changes in that spot, and that's not ideal. I think you need to look at the incumbents for that role and maybe stick with someone. It's a difficult position to bat and a very important position to bat," ten Doeschate said as Team India prepares for a one-off Test against Afghanistan starting June 6.
‘Whoever plays will be given an extended run’
Without spilling the beans on who could seal the number three spot in Tests between Padikkal and Sudharsan, Ryan said both are coming off tremendous tournaments. While Padikkal starred for Karnataka in the domestic, scoring heaps of runs, Sai continues to massively score for his IPL franchise, the Gujarat Titans.
Trending Stories
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
Ryan said that regardless of who is picked to bat at number three, the management will back the batter regardless of the lack of Tests in the upcoming months.
After India hosts Afghanistan in New Chandigarh, they will travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests in August, with the next assignment against New Zealand at the end of November.
"Dev [Devdutt Padikkal] comes in with a ton of runs in domestic cricket across all the formats, and obviously Sai's got a nice IPL with Gujarat, so they're both in good form. I think whoever plays, they'll be given a bit of rope. It's quite difficult with one Test match now, and then we don't play a Test match for another two months, and then you play two Test matches, and then you don't play for a while.
"So, we need to factor that in, but I think the main point around is we want to make a decision and then trust that person to grow into the role and ideally quickly because where we find ourselves in the WTC table, it's obviously we don't have time to bet in now. It's probably something we could have done better leading up to this is nailing down that number 3 spot," Ryan continued.
