Recall Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh: Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly feels that India’s spin department needs a shake up, as Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were powerless at New Zealand just as they were in the past tours.

Ganguly also opined that the left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha deserves a chance to play ahead of Ashwin, “I’m highly surprised at Ojha’s exclusion. He has the ability to take five wickets. If you see his career, he got five wickets in Mumbai in the first day, in the same conditions where Ashwin got three. He has got the variety to take wickets.”

“We also need to bring back Harbhajan Singh, he has good record overseas. Both of them are a must especially in Test cricket.”

Ganguly felt that the spinners were more to blame compared to the seamers for India’s dire series defeat at New Zealand. “I don’t think pacers are a reason for India’s defeat. But it’s our spin department where we’re lacking. All big teams have great spinners, be it Muttiah Muralitharan or Graeme Swann. Dhoni has to think about his spin department. Jadeja has no variation,” he added.

‘Dada’, as he is fondly called, also felt that captain MS Dhoni needs to be more spontaneous and brave in order to win games abroad. He concluded by saying: “He has to be bold in taking decisions. He has to take risks to win. Sometimes, his decisions are negative like his decision to field after winning the toss.”