India Set To Use Chennai Dead Rubber To Test Spin Options
The final ODI is being framed as a low‑risk chance for selectors to decide between Kuldeep Yadav or Harsh Dubey as they build spin depth for upcoming tournaments.
Overview
- India secured a 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan and will play the third match at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on June 20 as a dead rubber.
- Harsh Dubey took three wickets on debut in Dharamsala but was left out for the second ODI in Lucknow, where Kuldeep Yadav bowled 10 overs for 42 runs without a wicket.
- Former pacer Mohit Sharma publicly criticised the decision to drop Dubey and called for him to be given more chances, and Sunil Gavaskar urged selectors to use upcoming ODIs to resolve the spin question ahead of the 50-over World Cup.
- Opinion pieces and predictions recommend experiments in Chennai such as restoring Dubey, giving Nitish Kumar Reddy a full bowling role if fit, trialling Harshit Rana or rotating pacers like Prasidh Krishna to expand bench depth.
- The match is part of a wider BCCI strategy of workload management and succession planning that balances veteran players, recent injuries, and opportunities for domestic and IPL standouts to press their case for future tournaments.