Indian cricket selectors made an interesting choice recently. A young all-rounder gets his big break now. Many fans questioned this decision when it came. The coaching staff has clear reasons behind their pick. Understanding their logic helps appreciate the selection better.
Why Ayush Badoni Got the Call
Washington Sundar’s injury opened a spot in the squad. Team India needed someone who could bat and bowl. Ayush Badoni emerged as their top choice for this role. His performances with India A impressed selectors greatly.
He played against the Australia A teams recently and shone. Badoni grabbed three wickets across two matches there. His bowling average stayed at just 16.33 runs. He also scored 21 valuable runs when batting.
What the Coach Says About Badoni
Sitanshu Kotak serves as India’s batting coach currently. He backed Ayush Badoni’s selection strongly when asked. Kotak pointed to his excellent India A record. The coach also praised his IPL performances consistently.
“He has been playing, he has been performing, he has played some India A one-day matches and he has performed. Of course, it is the selectors who pick the team, but for any common man, when Washington is out, you cannot normally go with only five bowlers.
“For example, in the last game, if we had only five bowlers and Washington got injured in the fourth or fifth over, then who would have bowled those overs? So every team would like to have a sixth bowling option.
“Sometimes, if it is an all-rounder like Washington, then it’s an equally good bowler; sometimes it might be more of a batter who can bowl,” Kotak said.
Badoni offers crucial bowling depth to the team. His leg-spin provides variety to India’s bowling attack. Washington Sundar’s replacement needed similar all-round abilities. Kotak believes Badoni fills that role perfectly well.
Ayush Badoni’s Record Speaks Loudly
His List A statistics prove his quality clearly. Ayush Badoni has scored 693 runs at a decent average. He averages 36.47 with the bat in this format. One century and five fifties already sit beside his name.
His bowling brings another dimension to his game. He’s taken 18 wickets at an economy rate of 4.54. That economy rate shows excellent control over his bowling. He recently scored 66 runs against South Africa A too.
The IND vs NZ ODI Series Ahead
The IND vs NZ ODI series continues without Washington Sundar now. Ayush Badoni will try to prove that selectors made the right call. Some experts suggested Riyan Parag or Rinku Singh instead. However, team management prefers Badoni’s bowling skills here.
The final two matches of the IND vs NZ ODI series matter hugely. Badoni gets a golden chance to showcase his talent. White-ball cricket suits his aggressive style perfectly. Watch him closely during the remaining IND vs NZ ODI games.
