India ODI series against has already been confirmed afghanistan With wins in the opening two matches, the team management got a chance to test different combinations ahead of upcoming international assignments. With several senior players unavailable for the series, the Men in Blue have experimented with their batting order and given chances to several players in the first two matches.
While some of those changes have yielded encouraging results, one particular tactical move has caught the attention of a former India captain. He has taken a dig at India’s functioning KL RahulOffering his perspective on how the experienced batsman should be used in the ODI setup.
Former India captain says KL Rahul should bat for India
Speaking on his YouTube channel, chris srikanth Questioned India’s decision to use Rahul lower down the order during the Afghanistan series. The wicketkeeper-batsman played an impressive unbeaten inning of 39 runs in just 19 balls after batting at No. 5 in the first ODI, but was pushed to No. 6 in the second match, where he was out for a duck. The former India captain believes that Rahul’s quality and experience make him more valuable in the batting order rather than as a designated finisher.
“It is not good for KL Rahul and the team if he is batting at number six. In my opinion, he should bat at number four or five maximum. I think they can adopt a rotation policy. Relax the certainties in a few games, give chances and then choose the team.” Srikanth said.
The former chief selector stressed that frequent changes in batting positions can affect a player’s rhythm and confidence. with 2027 ODI World Cup With the cycle already underway, he believes India should start identifying stable roles rather than constantly moving key players around the order. Srikkanth also supported the idea of rotating established players to test the bench strength rather than altering the batting responsibilities of key members of the team.
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Concerns grow over players’ workload after busy season
Apart from discussing Rahul’s batting position, Srikkanth also expressed concern over India’s busy schedule. The former opener questioned the timing of the Afghanistan series, which is being played immediately after the conclusion of the ipl 2026 and this t20 world cup. He argued that players should be given adequate time to recover physically and mentally before leaving for their next international assignment.
“Afghanistan is not really a great team. It is sad. Now they are going to play in Chennai where it will be very hot. I don’t know how they will play there. It is not fair. I don’t think they should play in June. The T20 World Cup and IPL have just finished. Give them a break and the Women’s T20 World Cup is going on, why don’t we focus on that? Honestly, there should be a month’s break after the IPL. There is no family there.” time, no vacation, and most importantly, no mental break,” He said.
India will now face Afghanistan in the third and final ODI on June 20 in Chennai. The hosts, who have already won the series, can once again experiment with their playing eleven as they aim for a clean sweep.
Also read: Kris Srikkanth explains why Ravindra Jadeja should play ODI World Cup 2027