Former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth has questioned head coach Gautam Gambhir regarding KL Rahul’s batting position ahead of the third ODI against New Zealand. Srikkanth slammed the team management for promoting Axar Patel ahead of KL Rahul in the first two games of the ODI series.
Patel batted at number five in the run chase of 135 but was dismissed after scoring only seven runs. The spin-bowling all-rounder was dismissed for a duck in the series opener at Eden Park, Auckland while batting at the same number.
However, Rahul scored an unbeaten knock of 26 runs in the last game, which helped India in registering a four-run win (DLS method).
Kris Srikkanth said on his YouTube Channel, “He’s the only one who looked comfortable in the second ODI. Once the conditions are difficult, only two players step up – Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. If Rahul got out early in the last match, India were finished. But what justice is it to send Rahul at No.6 after Axar Patel? How can you justify Axar Patel batting ahead of him? Gautam Gambhir needs to understand Rahul is a marquee player. He has scored centuries at No.3 and 4 for India. Yet, he is being reduced to such a role. It’s gross injustice.”
The 1983 World Cup winner praised Gurnoor Brar, who bagged career-best bowling figures of 4-30 in his 10 overs in the second game. Srikknth highlighted that Brar is good in ODIs and Tests but he can be taken to the cleaners in T20Is.
“Gurnoor Brar is pretty good in ODIs and Tests. It’s in T20s that he’s a problem. But the young Indian pacers have really impressed. Indian pacers have always delivered when conditions favor them, not just now, but for years, since the Javagal Srinath days. But on normal wickets, Indian pacers always get smashed,” said Srikkanth (via the aforementioned source).
The third ODI between India and New Zealand will be played at Seddon Park, Hamilton, on Tuesday.
