Former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh has hit out at the team management for 'playing musical chairs' with the batting order following India’s four-wicket defeat to Australia in the second T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
With skipper Suryakumar Yadav choosing to bat at No. 4 instead of his usual No. 3 position, Sanju Samson was promoted up the order, while Harshit Rana was sent in ahead of Shivam Dube. The shuffling left Tilak Varma coming in at No. 5, disrupting the balance of the middle order.
India were bowled out for 125, with Australia comfortably chasing the target to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
"India needs to stop playing musical chairs with their batting order. They would have had a great chance of winning if they had scored 160 to 170. Didn't Suryakumar Yadav play well at No. 3 in the last match? He was not out as well. Then why send Sanju Samson at No. 3," Ramesh said on Instagram.
"He went from opening to No. 5 and now from 5 to 3. Because of this everyone is looking at each other in confusion on who might go in to bat next. Tilak Varma won India the Asia Cup final at No. 4 and you moved him to No. 5."
Ramesh didn’t mince words when criticising the decision to send Harshit Rana ahead of Shivam Dube, arguing that the management must respect each player’s primary role.
"Someone who cooks well can't be made a driver and a good driver can't become the cook. Likewise, the management should focus on each player's strength and main role in the team and aim to get the best out of them in that role. If they do something extra, that's well and good," he remarked.
"Their secondary skill should not become the primary role and I fear that's happening in this Indian team. A bowler who can bat needs to deliver with the ball first and likewise a batter who can bat must deliver with the ball first. The management needs to be clear on this. That's where India are slipping right now," he said.
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