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Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced strong concerns regarding the selection of India's squad after Nitish Kumar Reddy was not included in the playing XI for the first ODI against South Africa at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on November 30. With Hardik Pandya absent, Ashwin pointed out that Reddy's exclusion revealed a significant imbalance in the team's composition.

In a discussion on his YouTube channel, Ashwin stated, "If we cannot accommodate Nitish Kumar Reddy in a team missing Hardik Pandya, then there is a serious issue with the squad selection." He emphasized that Reddy was chosen specifically for his ability to fill Pandya's role as a seam-bowling all-rounder and to develop further in that position.

Despite Reddy's absence, India's lineup included six bowling options. Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana were part of the top eight, while Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna spearheaded the pace attack. Rana was positioned at No. 8, with the spin department managed by Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Sundar. This setup left no space for Reddy, even with the frontline trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Axar Patel not in the squad.

Reddy's recent performances added credibility to Ashwin's critique. The young player from Andhra made his ODI debut during the Australia tour following Pandya's injury, where he made contributions with both bat and ball. He had a notable performance in Perth and bowled effectively before an injury in Adelaide sidelined him from the T20I series. Although he was released from the Test squad to participate in unofficial ODIs against South Africa 'A', he still did not make it to KL Rahul's team for the opener in Ranchi.

In addition to the all-rounder discussion, India is grappling with another critical issue: the No. 4 batting position. Shreyas Iyer's injury has left a gap, with Rishabh Pant and Tilak Varma being considered for the role. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who returned as a backup opener in Shubman Gill's absence, was instead selected to bat at No. 4. Unfortunately, his return was brief, as he managed only eight runs off 14 balls before being dismissed by Dewald Brevis with a stunning one-handed catch.

Despite Gaikwad's underwhelming performance, Ashwin supported him to remain at No. 4, rejecting suggestions to switch to Tilak Varma immediately and advocating for Gaikwad to be given time to adjust to the position.