(Source X)
Tanvir Ahmed, the former Pakistan pacer, commented on India’s ODI series loss to Sri Lanka, highlighting the struggles of the Indian batting lineup. He noted that Rohit Sharma was the only Indian batter who appeared confident against Sri Lanka’s spin attack, as India lost 27 wickets to spin throughout the series.
India’s performance in the series was marked by a tie in the first ODI, a 32-run loss in the second, and a heavy 110-run defeat in the third. In the final ODI, chasing 249, India was bowled out for 138, with Rohit Sharma being the top scorer with 35. Virat Kohli struggled with scores of 24, 14, and 20 across the three games.
Tanvir Ahmed observed that key players like KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, and Shivam Dube had a chance to make significant contributions, especially with Hardik Pandya rested. However, they failed to capitalize on the opportunity. Ahmed suggested that the series exposed flaws in the Indian batters’ techniques against spin and warned that this ODI series loss could signal the beginning of a decline in the Indian batting lineup.
“You see what happens to the Indian batting lineup from here on in the future. The bowling lineup might work it out but the batting lineup will find it difficult. All the new batters in this Indian team at the moment, barring Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, they cannot carry forward this batting lineup in the future.
“They might score runs in their home conditions on flat pitches but on pitches where the ball turns seams and swings this batting lineup of India does not have the life to bat in those conditions. They could have scores runs in the first match, that ended in a time, could have scored runs in the second and third ODI as well,” said Tanvir Ahmed on his YouTube channel.
He delivered a firm message to the Indian team and the BCCI, advising that players should first assess their own performances before critiquing Pakistan’s.
“First look into your own performances and then have suggestions on Pakistan. If Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah does not play against Pakistan, Pakistan will beat India hands down,” Tanvir Ahmed concluded.
India’s loss to Sri Lanka was surprising, especially given Sri Lanka’s strong performance on home turf. With only three more ODIs scheduled before the Champions Trophy 2025 in February, India faces a tight timeline to refine their squad and strategies. The return of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami, the leading wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup 2023 with 24 wickets from seven matches at an average of 10.70 and an economy rate of 5.26, adds another layer of urgency.
In a press conference, Rohit Sharma acknowledged the need for the team to address areas of improvement following the series defeat. For Sri Lanka, this ODI series win over India marks a significant achievement, being their first against India in 27 years.
