‘Gautam Gambhir can say what he wants, I don’t care’: Ex-IND captain rips into Test team selection

Ex-India captain slams Gautam Gambhir. (Photo: PTI)

Kris Srikkanth, a former captain of India and chairman of selectors, slammed Gautam Gambhir for what he called "inconsistency in India's Test selection," claiming he was not ready to hear the team management's excuses. Srikkanth was talking on his YouTube show after India conceded a 288-run lead in the opening innings of the second Test match against South Africa.

After losing 0-3 to New Zealand the previous year, critics were furious as India faced yet another home series whitewash. India were dominated in the first innings in Guwahati after losing the series opener on a challenging pitch in Kolkata. South Africa chose to bat and compiled 489 before bowling India out for 201.

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Srikkanth criticized the team's selection practices and questioned why players weren't given a regular run in light of India's declining Test results since Gambhir became head coach.

“Every alternate match someone is making debut. They can say trial and error. Gautam Gambhir can say whatever he wants. I don’t care. I have been a former captain and former chairman of selector. I know what am talking. I am not talking through my hat. You need consistency,” Srikkanth said.

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Famously, Gambhir declared that he would not cut players and that any adjustments would focus on selecting the best team to win. However, have a look at this statistic: India has utilized 24 players in Test matches in just one year since Gambhir took over. In contrast, only 41 players were used overall during Virat Kohli's seven years as captain.

Washington Sundar was batted at No. 3 in the first Test, but in the first innings of the Guwahati Test, India demoted him to No. 8. Despite scoring 87 in his previous Test, Sai Sudharsan was omitted for the series opener and came back at number three in the second Test.

In favorable batting conditions, India labored with the bat and managed just 201 runs. With the exception of Washington Sundar (48) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (58), none of the other batters scored more than 25 runs. Captain Rishabh Pant was dismissed for seven runs, while Dhruv Jurel, batting at number four, was dismissed for a duck.

After being called up for the second Test, Nitish Reddy was dismissed for ten.

The former India opener also questioned why Axar Patel, who had only returned to the Test lineup for the first Test in Kolkata, was not included in the starting lineup.

Nitish's selection was harshly criticized by Srikkanth, who claimed that the young player is not yet competent enough to play in India's Test XI, particularly at home.

He contended that, especially because Shubman Gill was sidelined for the second Test due to a neck injury sustained in the series opener, India ought to have chosen a specialist batter like Sarfaraz Khan in lieu of Nitish Reddy.

"Who calls Nitish Reddy an allrounder? Can anyone see his bowling and say he is an all-rounder. He hit a hundred in MCG but what has he done after that. One swallow doesn’t make a summer, as they say. If Nitish Reddy is an all-rounder then I am great allrounder.

"Does he have movement, pace? He is not some deadly batsman either. Let’s call spade a spade. How is Nitish in ODI team also? What has he done? Is Nitish replacement for Hardik Pandya?! Why not Axar Patel?”