KL Rahul Mismanaged By Team India Coach Gautam Gambhir, Accuses Former Cricketer

Team India defeated England in 2nd ODI to take a 2-0 lead in the 5-match series, but their batting order has sparked debate. The decision to bench Shreyas Iyer and the batting positions of KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya have raised questions. Former captain Kris Srikkanth criticised head coach Gautam Gambhir for mismanaging KL Rahul's role.

Srikkanth, a member of India's 1983 World Cup-winning team, voiced his concerns on YouTube. He questioned Gambhir's strategy, especially regarding Rahul's position in the lineup. "Shreyas Iyer is in good form, which is a positive for India. But I feel for KL Rahul, it's very unfortunate. Yes, Axar Patel is scoring 30s and 40s, but what they are doing with KL Rahul is not fair. Look at his record, he has excelled at No. 5, with a brilliant record. I don't know what the team management is thinking regarding his position. If he bats at No. 6 or 7, he ends up scoring 6 or 7. It's unfair," Srikkanth said.

Concerns Over Team Strategy

Srikkanth expressed doubts about Gambhir's choice to play Axar Patel over KL Rahul. He questioned the logic behind using a left-hand-right-hand combination as a consistent strategy. "Hey, Gambhir, what you are doing is not right. Yes, depending on the situation, India can send Axar at No. 5, but it cannot be a consistent strategy," he stated.

The former cricketer argued that such changes could backfire during crucial matches. He also questioned why the left-right combination mattered only at No. 5 and not in the top four positions.

Impact on Player Confidence

Srikkanth highlighted how these decisions might affect player confidence, particularly KL Rahul's. "I have no issue with Axar Patel-he is making the most of his chances. But if you're pushing Rahul down the order, then play Rishabh Pant at No. 6," he suggested.

He emphasised that undermining a player's confidence isn't fair when they've performed well internationally.

Rishabh Pant's Exclusion

The exclusion of Rishabh Pant from the first two matches against England also drew Srikkanth's ire. He believes one of either Pant or Rahul should play consistently.

"Now, what you've done is you've sidelined Rishabh Pant as well," Srikkanth remarked. He predicted Pant might feature in the third ODI and possibly in the Champions Trophy too.

Srikkanth concluded by stressing that India's best player should bat at No. 5 regardless of being left-handed or right-handed.