Former Indian captain and chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth has launched a scathing criticism of the Indian cricket team's performance and selection policies following their disappointing first innings in the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati.
Selection Policies Under Fire
In a fiery discussion on his YouTube channel 'cheekycheeka' with his son and former CSK player Anirudha, Srikkanth questioned the team's constant changes and inconsistent selection approach. "Why isn't Axar Patel playing? Was he unfit for this Test match? He has been consistent at all levels. Why so much chop change?" Srikkanth demanded answers.
The former opener expressed his frustration with the frequent debutants in the team, stating "Every alternate match someone is making debut. They can say trial and error." He emphasized the importance of consistency in team selection, drawing from his experience as former captain and chairman of selectors.
Batting Collapse Analysis
Srikkanth pointed out the contradiction between Indian spinner Kuldeep Yadav's assessment of the pitch as a "road" and the team's batting collapse where five wickets fell to short balls. "I saw Kuldeep Yadav's quotes about how 'pitch is a road, nothing happens'. Then today we see Indians edging to slips to Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj," he noted with irony.
The criticism extended to individual performances, particularly targeting captain Rishabh Pant's dismissal. "Rishabh Pant runs down and slogs. They will say it's natural game. But he is the captain. Shouldn't he see the match situation?" Srikkanth questioned the wicketkeeper-batsman's shot selection.
All-rounder Debate and Player Assessment
When the discussion turned to Nitish Reddy being considered an all-rounder, Srikkanth didn't hold back. "Who calls Nitish Reddy an all-rounder? Can anyone see his bowling and say he is an all-rounder? If Nitish Reddy is an all-rounder then I am great all-rounder," he remarked sarcastically.
He also questioned Dhruv Jurel's selection as a specialist batsman and wondered why Sarfaraz Khan wasn't given opportunities. "Sarfaraz Khan was never given a chance in Australia. At least give a chance to him in India," he advocated for the Mumbai batsman.
Praise for South African Performance
In contrast to his criticism of the Indian team, Srikkanth praised the South African batting, particularly Marco Jansen and Senuran Muthusamy. "Just see how Marco Jansen smashed Indians? Our guys kept feeding him in the range. All in good length. Did anyone bounce him?" he analyzed.
He particularly appreciated Muthusamy's application, saying "Senuran Muthusamy was fantastic. Applied himself so well. Brilliant application."
Despite India's disastrous first innings where they were bowled out for 201, Srikkanth still believes the match could end in a draw. However, his strong words reflect the growing concern about India's team selection and performance under the new coaching regime led by Gautam Gambhir.
