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Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has slammed head coach Gautam Gambhir for his handling of KL Rahul in the ongoing ODI series against England. Srikkanth believes the team management’s decision to push Rahul down the order is unfair, especially considering his stellar performances at No. 5 during the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Rahul, who has been preferred over Rishabh Pant, has not been given a stable batting position, with the team opting to promote bowling all-rounder Axar Patel over him at No. 5. In the previous ODI series, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube were also sent ahead of Rahul, raising further concerns over his role in the squad.
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Srikkanth Slams Gambhir’s Decision
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth did not hold back his frustration:
💬 “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.
Axar, who has been promoted to No. 5, has impressed with crucial knocks of 52 and 41 in the first two ODIs. However, the demotion has negatively impacted Rahul, who has managed scores of just 2 and 10.
💬 “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. You can’t justify it by talking about the left-right combination. Does that mean you don’t care about a left-right combination in the top four? Why does it only matter at No. 5?”
“Play Pant at No. 6 if You Want Axar at 5” – Srikkanth
Srikkanth suggested that if Gambhir is keen on keeping Axar Patel at No. 5, then Rishabh Pant should be slotted in at No. 6 instead of undermining Rahul’s confidence.
💬 “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?”
“KL Rahul Might End Up Warming the Bench in Champions Trophy”
Assessing the current scenario, Srikkanth hinted that Rahul could be dropped for the third ODI and might even miss out on the Champions Trophy squad.
💬 “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. Rahul might end up warming the bench again. You should play your best player at No. 5, regardless of whether he is left-handed or right-handed.”
As India prepares for the final ODI and the Champions Trophy 2025, it remains to be seen if Gambhir and the team management will reconsider their batting order strategy or stick to their left-right combination approach.
