Former Indian selector Kris Srikkanth has criticized the Indian management for the strange decision of promoting Harshit Rana ahead of all-rounder Shivam Dube during the second T20I against Australia at the MCG.
India lost the second T20I against Australia after the first T20I was abandoned due to rain. In the Canberra T20, Indian players took full advantage until the day’s play ended due to rain. Despite being one of the strongest T20I batting teams, India suffered a humiliating defeat.
After the withdrawal of all the big names, their score was 49/5 and despite India being all out for just 125 runs in 18.4 overs, opener Abhishek Sharma played a stormy inning of 68 runs.
“Is Harshit Rana that big a player?”. – Kris Srikkanth criticizes India’s controversial management
India had to bear the brunt of the poor performance with the bat and made a surprise change in the batting order. Indian bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana was sent ahead of Shivam Dubey. Although the plan seems to be working as India can stabilize their innings with partnerships, but former selector Kris Srikkanth is not happy with these decisions.
“You are discouraging Dubey’s ability. And is Harshit Rana such a big player? He scored 35 but it was a tough innings. Apart from the square cut, only that one six was good. At 35 off 33, he conceded too many balls.”
Srikanth said on his YouTube channel, “The problem is that because of Harshit Rana, Abhishek Sharma missed the strike. Many times he took a single on the last ball of the over. In that partnership of 47 balls, Harshit Rana scored 33 runs and Abhishek Sharma scored only 14 runs.”
“It wasn’t priceless 35” – Srikkanth slams Rana despite good innings at MCG
In a surprise move, the Indian management and Gautam Gambhir sent Rana to bat at no. 7. He formed a brilliant partnership with Abhishek Sharma, who opened the innings. Harshit Rana came to the crease in the 8th over of the game and played for about 8 overs.
In a 47-ball partnership, Harshit Rana faced 33 balls alone and often took singles on the last ball of the over, which affected Abhishek’s flow of runs. Had he been a specialist batsman, the rotation of strike rate would have been better.
Srikkanth said, “Because of this Abhishek Sharma did not get the strike and his flow also ended. So what is the point? People can say that he scored 35 runs and it was priceless. It was not a priceless 35 runs. He was just there and hit a six. He was just surviving and surviving. Ultimately it is the captain’s decision. Gambhir can only suggest. So not sure whose decision it was but it was a very strange decision.”
“After all, they have made him nothing with this move,” Srikkanth said.
Srikanth believed that Shivam Dubey’s sudden demotion would break his morale. 8. The 32-year-old played a very important innings during the Asia Cup final against Pakistan when he partnered with Tilak Verma.
“It is not clear whether Dube is playing as a batsman, bowler or fielder. In the end, they have made him nothing with this move. It is not right because you are knocking down the confidence of the player. This is not good for Dube and the Indian cricket team. It seems that the Indian management thought that Dube was an impact player in the IPL,” Srikkanth said (via the above source).
When he came to bat he was sent in with less than five overs remaining in the innings and was out after just two balls. Dubey got a big lead on the first ball and was later out on another ball on the very next ball.
“They kept waiting to send Kuhneman to bat. Are you playing with the impact player rule? This is a T20I, not IPL, where you wait for the spinner and send the impact player. This is poor thinking and poor planning. Shivam Dubey should bat regardless of the bowler or the state of the game. He is capable of playing. Is Shivam Dubey such a bad player? If it is 8 o’clock, it would be better if he does not bat at all Do it.”
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