Former Indian chairman of selectors and commentator Kris Srikkanth has slammed the Indian team management, headed by Gautam Gambhir, for demoting KL Rahul at No.6 in the third and final ODI at Lord’s on Sunday, July 19.
Speaking exclusively on his YouTube channel, the former Indian batter has lambasted the team management for sending Rahul at No.6 while chasing a 388-run target. Rahul could score 12 runs off eight balls with two boundaries.
“Will anyone send KL Rahul at No.6 when chasing such a huge total? That guy has won you so much in tough run-chases. Just like you screwed up Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, now you are screwing up KL Rahul. Is Rahul a No.6 or 7 batter? This is gross injustice. His body language also looked like someone nervous yesterday,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
“India needed someone to do the Jos Buttler role. That’s where Kishan and Shreyas Iyer got out right away. But if Rahul had gone in at No.4, he would have complemented Virat Kohli like they did a few times in the 2023 World Cup. Rahul is capable of accelerating easily. Instead, they sent him out to bat when the match was over. How was he possibly going to win the game needing 15 per over with Axar Patel?” he added.
Furthermore, Srikkanth has heaped praise on the Indian talismanic opening batter Rohit Sharma, who scored a 138-run knock off 110 balls with 17 fours and five sixes.
“He shut everybody up, including all of us. Just through yesterday, he has made himself the first name on the team sheet for the 2027 World Cup. It should be Gill, Rohit and Kohli fixed as the first three for the World Cup. Rohit played some unbelievable shots and even a few new shots that were indescribable,” said Srikkanth.
“Once he smashed one pull six, it was always going to be his day. He took a special liking to Tongue. The way he took off after his first 50 showed why he is a white-ball king. The way he dominated, England were shivering in fear,” he concluded.
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