“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 fast bowler Simon Doull feels Indian skipper Rohit Sharma should not be solely blamed for the defensive field and experienced spinners like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja should also take onus after India’s 2-0 loss against New Zealand.

Ashwin and Jadeja have picked six wickets each in the two Test matches against the Kiwis, with the former bowling with an average of 43.50 and latter with average of 37.50.

India could not put up enough runs on the board in the first two Test matches and they had to bowl with a defensive field as they were always chasing the game.

Speaking to PTI, Simon Doull said, “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.”

Meanwhile, Doull said that New Zealand pacers were able to take advantage of favourable seaming conditions in Bengaluru on the second day’s play after Rohit Sharma misread the pitch. Moreover, the visitors got a par score of 259 runs on the board in the first innings at Pune after winning the crucial toss on a spin friendly pitch.

“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.

The third and final Test match between India and New Zealand will be played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai from November 1 onwards.