The strategy of opting for all-rounders over specialized batters or bowlers doesn’t seem to be paying off for India in Australia. In Melbourne, the team fielded two all-rounders, but neither really made a case for their selection. Axar Patel came in at number 5 and managed just 7 runs off 12 balls, while Shivam Dube had a late entry hoping to make a big impact but ended up with only 4 runs off 2 balls. To top it off, neither of them bowled a single delivery during the match. In conditions that favor spin, like those in Asia, all-rounders can shine. Both Axar and Shivam are excellent against spin bowling, and Axar, being a fantastic spinner himself, usually thrives on such pitches. He demonstrated his potential during the ODI series, showing he can be effective even in Australia. However, Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir didn’t utilize him with the ball at the MCG. This raises the question: is the tradeoff really worth it? Even the top batters struggle in Australia, so what can we realistically expect from Axar? And if he’s not going to bowl, does it make sense to have him in the lineup? You might wonder, why not give Dube a chance? Well, he is a pace-bowling all-rounder. Given that Australian pitches tend to offer bounce, a tall bowler like him could be quite handy. The inclusion of Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy also factors into Axar’s exclusion. So, if Axar is dropped, who steps in for him? Also Read | Watch Alyssa Healy drops easy catch, gives life to Jemimah Rodrigues Will Either Rinku Singh or Arshdeep Singh Get a Chance to Play? Team is looking at either Rinku Singh or Arshdeep Singh. Those are the only two options available. Nitish Kumar Reddy is out due to injury, and Jitesh Sharma isn’t in the running because Rinku is a left-hander, which fits well with Gambhir’s preference for a right-left batting combination. Plus, Sanju Samson is already filling the wicketkeeper role, so bringing in Washington Sundar for Axar doesn’t really add up. Now, the big question is who should be picked between Arshdeep and Rinku? It’s likely to come down to team preference. After the batting collapse in Melbourne, adding Rinku seems logical. However, the pacers also struggled, which strengthens Arshdeep’s case. It’s a tricky balance once again. Given Gambhir’s tendency to favor batting depth, Rinku could get the nod, but Arshdeep’s inclusion would make just as much sense.