(Source X)
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali criticized India’s performance in the second ODI against Sri Lanka, highlighting their struggles against spin bowling. Ali remarked that the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, appeared to have lost their proficiency in handling spin, as evidenced by their poor batting display.
In a disappointing outing, India failed to chase a target of 241 runs, losing the match by 32 runs and falling behind 1-0 in the three-match series. Despite a strong start with Rohit Sharma scoring a brisk 64 runs and Shubman Gill contributing 35, the innings collapsed rapidly after their opening partnership of 97 runs.
The Indian team’s attempt to adjust their batting order and implement a left-right combination proved ineffective as Sri Lankan spinner Jeffrey Vandersay dismantled the lineup with 6 wickets. Axar Patel’s resilient 44 went in vain as India was bowled out for 208.
Ali labeled India’s batting performance as subpar and questioned their status as a dominant force in world cricket. He also criticized Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul for appearing out of practice, implying that their preparation was lacking. In a video on his YouTube channel, Ali expressed his concerns over the team’s recent performances.
“This is a very bad performance. I remember a movie, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Kabhie. This morning, India reached the hockey semifinals of the Olympics. But in cricket, it was exactly the opposite of that. The kind of Indian batsmanship that was on the fray, it didn’t seem that this is the kind of batting that rules the world.
“I also feel that Iyer and Rahul did not practice. They came into the series without practice. There are big questions. The first wicket fell on 97 that too, Rohit got out while hitting reverse. Is Rohit the only batsman in the Indian team? There is no other batsman.”
I feel that India has forgotten to play spinners – Basit Ali
Basit Ali suggested that Indian batters may be prioritizing T20 formats over ODIs, which could be impacting their performance in the 50-over format. He also criticized Gautam Gambhir for employing the left-right batting combination strategy, arguing that Axar Patel should have been promoted to number 4 in the lineup instead.
“Gill got out with 30-35 runs. Who will take responsibility? Will only Rohit and Virat’s name be heard? What are the other players doing? Today, you can see that Axar played well. The way he played, he played accordingly. I feel that India has forgotten to play spinners like Pakistan. Maybe they are focusing more on T20. Or they have won the T20 tournament.
“Shivam Dube, he is not even reading the hand of bowlers. Gautam is using this combo incorrectly, the left-right combo. If he wanted to use it, he could have sent Axar Patel to bat. He could have played Rishabh Pant. Instead of Dube, he could have played two wicketkeepers,” he concluded.
