"Does India need so many all-rounders?" - Former CSK star slams selection policy after India's massive defeat in IND vs SA 2025 2nd Test

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Parthiv Patel slammed India's policy of playing too many all-rounders in the Test team following their huge defeat to South Africa. The Proteas won the second Test in Guwahati by 408 runs and also sealed the series 2-0.

Set a mammoth target of 549 in the final innings, the hosts failed to bat the entire day and save the Test. They were bowled out for just 140 runs. Parthiv reckoned that India lacked a specialist batter and did not require too many all-rounders in the side.

"There are two things. One is the mistake of the coach. The batters and bowlers are doing their job. But the question is, are we playing with the right XI? Does India need so many all-rounders in Test cricket? I believe that Test cricket is a game of specialists. You must have six batters. The best thing is you have a wicket-keeper batter who is among the best and who has an average of above 40. Then you need four bowlers and one all-rounder," he said on Star Sports.

In the first innings, South Africa posted a huge total of 489. The hosts were bundled out for 201. They struggled with their batting, and the lack of specialist batters clearly hurt the team, resulting in a 0-2 series whitewash at home.

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India blessed to have two all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, feels Parthiv Patel

Parthiv Patel reckoned that India were blessed to have two quality all-rounders in Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. He stated that both players were equally skilled at batting and bowling. Therefore, he questioned the need to play Nitish Kumar Reddy as the third all-rounder instead of a pure batter. The former cricketer urged the team to change their thought process going forward.

"Actually, we are blessed that we can call both Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar all-rounders because they bat and bowl well. Then you have Kuldeep who is a good wrist-spinner and then two quality pacers. If it is a green wicket then play an extra pacer. But that extra all-rounder, we have seen the value of a player increasing and we have seen the difference by impact players coming in the IPL. We are not playing with a proper batter or a proper bowler. I am not picking on Nitish Kumar Reddy, but I think it is important for India to change their thinking," he said.

Jadeja picked six wickets in the second Test and scored a half-century (54), whereas Sundar played a vital 48-run knock in the first innings. Meanwhile, Nitish Reddy, playing as an all-rounder, bowled only 10 overs across both innings. Neither did he pick up a wicket, and managed scores of 10 and zero.