Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik has urged the team management to field an extra spinner in the second T20I against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval on Saturday. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Karthik said India should trust Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s batting at No. 8, a move that would free up room for an extra spinner in the playing XI. The call comes after India’s bowlers leaked 200-plus totals in four of their last six matches.
“Bhuvneshwar Kumar can bat. In this game, he would have done the job that Nitish Kumar Reddy did, which is to rotate the strike and all, for sure. If they believe in what I say, which is that Bhuvneshwar can bat at No.8, they don’t believe in that right now,” Karthik said.
Karthik also suggested Axar Patel should bat at No. 8 with Bhuvneshwar slotting in at No. 9. India used Axar as their only frontline spinner in the series opener in Christchurch, a selection that has divided opinion.
Why Karthik wants an extra spinner
India’s recent bowling record gives weight to Karthik’s demand. The attack has conceded 200-plus totals in four of its last six matches, including three times in the recently concluded five-match series against the West Indies. Those numbers point to an attack that has struggled to hold totals down in the middle overs.
Karthik’s argument is that an extra spinner would give the captain control through the middle phase, where matches in New Zealand often turn. With only Axar operating as a frontline spinner in the opener, the attack lacked a second slow-bowling option when the quicks came under pressure.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the No. 8 question
The key to Karthik’s plan is faith in Bhuvneshwar’s batting. The veteran seamer has long been a capable lower-order batter, and Karthik believes he could do the job Nitish Kumar Reddy did in the opener, rotating the strike and supporting the recognised batters. That, in turn, makes room for the change without weakening the batting.
Under Karthik’s reshuffle, Axar Patel would move to No. 8 and Bhuvneshwar would slot in at No. 9, giving India both batting depth and two frontline spinners. The extra spinner would then share the middle-overs workload with Axar, easing the pressure on the pace attack.
In the opener, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s brief was to keep the scoreboard moving in the lower middle order. Karthik’s view is that Bhuvneshwar could do that job just as well, rotating the strike while the set batters attacked. That swap, he argued, is what opens the door for the extra spinner in the XI.
An extra spinner for the Hagley Oval test
India lead the series 1-0 after chasing down a record target of 226 in the Christchurch opener. The win papered over the bowling concerns, but Karthik clearly believes the management should not wait for a defeat before acting. The second T20I at the Hagley Oval on Saturday offers the chance to test the theory while the series lead is intact.
India’s 1-0 lead gives the management room to experiment. The record chase of 226 in Christchurch showed the batting is in good order, which is exactly why Karthik feels the bowling can be strengthened. A second slow-bowling option at the Hagley Oval would test the theory while the series is still in India’s hands.
The final decision will say plenty about how the management reads the Hagley Oval surface. If they pick the second spinner, Karthik’s argument has won the day. If they stick with the same balance, the bowlers will have to answer with their lengths. The final call rests with head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management. Whatever they decide, the bowling display on Saturday will be watched closely. If they share Karthik’s belief that Bhuvneshwar can bat at No. 8, the extra spinner could walk straight into the XI. If not, India will go in with the same balance and hope the bowlers find their lengths.