Ex-Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir takes a dig at team management for ignoring Ravi Bishnoi.
On Thursday, India won the third T20I against South Africa by 106 runs on December 14 at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, and levelled the series 1-1. Captain Suryakumar Yadav starred with the bat for a century, while wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav picked a fifer on his birthday. However, before the match, there were questions raised about India’s playing XI as several in-form players failed to find a place in the playing XI.
It is to be noted that the team management once again benched Ravi Bishnoi, who was the player of the series in the last T20I series against Australia, with nine scalps to his name. Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir felt that Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi bowling in tandem would’ve been a great attacking option.
Gambhir said, "Probably, yes, Ravi Bishnoi is one of the fast bowlers, definitely. You have a left-arm wrist spinner and a right-arm wrist spinner. That could have been a great attacking option. I am a bit surprised that they have gone with the same playing XI. Who is your best bet to take wickets in the powerplay? It has to be your leg-spinner. It can't be fast bowlers against this kind of batting line-up. And that is also true in conditions like Johannesburg. Definitely, a bit of a surprise there with Bishnoi not playing. You should never become the Player of the Series. That's the first criteria for getting dropped.”