Wed Nov 20 04:40:00 UTC 2024: ## India Likely to Field Only One Spinner in Perth Test, Reddy Could Debut

**Perth, Australia:** With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill unavailable, Team India is facing a selection dilemma for the upcoming Perth Test. According to Indian Express, the team is likely to play only one spinner – Ravichandran Ashwin – mirroring a suggestion made by former captain Sourav Ganguly.

India toured Australia with three spinners: Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar. However, Ganguly advocates for playing only Ashwin, citing his expertise and strong record against left-handed batsmen, a prominent feature of the Australian lineup (Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, and Alex Carey). Ashwin’s past success against Steve Smith further strengthens this argument.

The team is expected to field three pacers alongside Ashwin. Nitish Kumar Reddy is tipped to make his Test debut, potentially partnering with Jasprit Bumrah in the pace attack. Ganguly supports this selection, arguing that playing two specialist spinners in Perth and Brisbane is unnecessary and that Reddy’s lower-order batting capabilities would improve the team’s balance. He dismissed claims of India’s preparations being inadequate.

This news comes amid unrelated political controversy in India, where BJP leader Vinod Tawde faces allegations of vote-buying, prompting accusations from opposition parties. Tawde denies the allegations and has requested an Election Commission investigation. The Thakur family, known for their influence in Vasai Virar and for shifting allegiances between political parties, is also involved in the discussions.

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