Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has urged head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management to take responsibility following India’s 2-1 ODI series loss to England. Srikkanth criticized the team’s preparation for the 2027 World Cup and raised concerns about the frequent changes in the playing XI.
After England secured the series win with a 27-run victory in the third ODI at Lord’s, Srikkanth emphasized the importance of India’s performances against stronger teams over victories against lower-ranked opponents. He highlighted the need for accountability and a focus on challenging competitions.
Srikkanth also expressed worry about India’s ODI planning, noting the limited number of matches before the next World Cup, which leaves little room for experimentation. He criticized the approach of constant changes and emphasized the challenges posed by injuries affecting player availability.
The former opener further criticized India’s batting order during the chase at Lord’s, questioning the decision to place KL Rahul at No. 6 instead of promoting him. Srikkanth believed that Rahul’s experience and ability to accelerate could have made a difference in the match outcome.
Srikkanth highlighted the need for strategic batting decisions, especially in crucial moments, and suggested that Rahul should have been utilized differently to maximize India’s chances of success. Despite Rohit Sharma’s impressive performance, India fell short in the chase, ultimately losing the ODI series to England.
