The team management pushed him down to number 6 and promoted bowling all-rounder Axar Patel to number 5 in the first two ODIs.
Former India player Krishnamachari Srikkanth has taken a dig at head coach Gautam Gambhir for the way he has been handling KL Rahul in the ongoing ODI series against England. Rahul, despite being preferred over Rishabh Pant, hasn’t been given his ideal batting position.
The team management pushed him down to number 6 and promoted bowling all-rounder Axar Patel to number 5 in the first two ODIs. Rahul was one of India’s most reliable batters in the 2023 ODI World Cup, but since Gambhir took charge, his batting position has been uncertain.
Speaking on his youtube channel, Srikkanth believes KL Rahul is being treated unfair despite performing well at number 5. While Shreyas Iyer good form is positive for India, Axar Patel has contributed with some decent scores, Rahul’s situation is not justified. The team management was questioned by Srikkanth as Rahul has an excellent record at number 5 and that pushing him lower in the order is affecting his performance.
“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 on his YouTube Channel.
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Srikkanth was very critical of Gambhir’s move to send KL Rahul down to number 6 just to ensure a left-right combination in batting, warning that it might backfire in an important match. He added that while sending Axar Patel at number 5 was a good move in some situations, it should not be a regular 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. If you keep making such changes, you know what will happen—there will be a crucial match where everything falls apart. That’s what worries me,” he added.
Srikkanth suggested that if Gambhir wants to keep Axar Patel at number 5, then Rishabh Pant should be played at number 6 instead of pushing KL Rahul further down the order. He questioned why Rahul’s confidence was being undermined despite his strong performances on the international stage. Srikkanth emphasized that it would be unfair to a player who has consistently delivered at the highest level.
“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. Why undermine Rahul’s confidence? Is it fair to a player who has performed brilliantly in world cricket?” he added.
The former India player pointed out that Rishabh Pant has also been sidelined due to the team’s current approach. He believes one of Rahul or Pant has to play and expects Pant to be included in the third ODI and the Champions Trophy.
“Now, what you’ve done is you’ve sidelined Rishabh Pant as well. One of them has to play. I have a feeling Pant will feature in the third ODI and then in the Champions Trophy too,” he stated.
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