Former Indian Test batsman and coach of the Indian junior cricket team Sandeep Patil said the concept of playing seven batsmen was not working for the Indians, who crashed out of the ICC Champions Trophy in England after losing to Pakistan by 3 wickets on Sunday.
- Images: India vs Pakistan
"If six batsmen cannot put up a defendable score, what guarantee is there that the seventh batsman can do it. Moreover, five specialist bowlers are required when you are playing against teams like Pakistan," Patil said in Mumbai on Monday.
"Not playing leg spinner Anil Kumble was like having a Mercedes Benz in the garage and not using it at all," observed Patil.
"Being the coach of the junior team, I know that wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik is an exceptional batsman but unfortunately he did not find a place in the crucial match yesterday," he added.
"According to me, Yuvraj Singh should be sent at number seven in the batting order because he is a good hitter of the ball and even if the top order fails then he (Yuvraj) can not only rotate the strike but also play a match-winning knock," Patil said.
"However, yesterday's debacle was because our batting failed to click and despite a lion hearted bowling by young Irfan Pathan in early stages of Pakistan innings, other bowlers failed to give him good support to swing the match in India's favour," he added.
"May be India needs a couple of more Irfan Pathans to win matches in future," Patil observed.
Patil said Rohan Gavaskar was not an ideal number seven batsman as he was more a grafter than a big hitter which was required of a player batting at such a position.
When asked whether Sachin Tendulkar's absence due to injury was felt, he said, "injury is part and parcel of a cricketer and there is nothing anybody can do. Though I don't know the exact nature of Sachin's injury, the team as a whole should recover from such setbacks quickly like the Aussies and the Pakistanis do.
"I also think that middle order batsman Mohammed Kaif has not lived up to his early promises and it is time that the team management looks beyond him as we have some very good batsmen in Hemang Badani, Sridharan Sriram and others", he added.
Former selection committee chairman, Chandu Borde put the blame on lack of match practice.
"I think the Indian team were short of match practice and losing Tendulkar was surely felt in the Indian camp.
"The way the Indians took to the field after Sourav Ganguly lost the toss was very strange. They looked as if they were under unnecessary pressure just because their opponents happened to be Pakistan", he added.
"Somehow the Indian batsmen looked out of focus and I think it is time someone starts doing Tendulkar's job of holding the innings together because every member of the team should take up the responsibilities when representing the country," Borde said.
When asked what has to be done to regain confidence, especially with the home series against the Aussies just round the corner, he said the players have to play more matches in the coming domestic season.
