"If you can't trust an Ashwin or a Jadeja to set his own field, you can't blame Rohit" - Simon Doull reflects on India's loss to New Zealand
Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull has defended Indian captain Rohit Sharma despite the hosts suffering a shocking home Test series loss to the Kiwis. He opined that senior spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja also need to own responsibility for the defeat.
New Zealand beat India by 113 runs in Pune on Saturday, October 26, to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Test series. Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner claimed 13 wickets as India's batters looked all at sea in home conditions.
India captain Rohit has come in for a lot of flak in the wake of the team's first Test series loss at home in 12 years. Doull, however, reckons that it is unfair to pin the entire blame on the Indian skipper. Speaking to news agency PTI, he commented:
"If you can't trust an Ashwin or a Jadeja to set his own field, you can't blame Rohit for that all the time. I think the bowlers have to have some part to play in that as well."
The 55-year-old added that the toss has played a big role in both the Tests so far. While admitting that Rohit made a big blunder by deciding to bat first in Bengaluru, he hailed Tom Latham's captaincy in Pune.
"I think winning the toss is crucial. For Rohit, the wrong decision at Bangalore was crucial. He has admitted to that as well. New Zealand seamers took advantage of that. Winning the toss in this Test (at Pune), when you knew, pitch was going to turn…it might not have looked like a big score, 259 in the (New Zealand) first innings," Doull said.
"But it was made to look like a really big score because the ball was turning. So, I think Tom Latham's captaincy was outstanding for the most part. People say Rohit might have been a touch defensive, but that comes down to the bowlers. There are very, very senior spin bowlers in that side," the former Kiwi pacer added.
While Santner claimed 13 wickets in Pune, Indian off-spinner Washington Sundar also starred with 11. However, the rest of the bowlers could not make much of an impact even as India's batters continued to struggle.
Ashwin and Jadeja's bowling stats in the first two IND vs NZ Tests
Ashwin and Jadeja have six wickets each to their name after two Tests against New Zealand in the ongoing series, averaging 43.50 and 37.50, respectively.
While Ashwin managed only one wicket in Bengaluru and five in Pune, Jadeja has picked up three scalps in both games.