Gautam Gambhir Slammed By Ex India Captain For Bold 2nd ODI Call: "How Can You Justify?"

Gautam Gambhir's playing combination selection triggered a debate© BCCI/Creimas

India head coach Gautam Gambhir stirred another team combination and selection debate as he promoted all-rounder Axar Patel to the No. 5 spot, ahead of KL Rahul, who came to bat at No. 6. It was Rahul's unbeaten 26 off 38 balls that helped India secure victory in a tightly contested match. However, former India captain Kris Srikkanth isn't happy seeing Rahul being demoted to the No. 6 role, slamming head coach Gambhir for the call, highlighting the veteran batter's performances for India at the No. 3 and No. 4 spots.

In a video on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said that there are only two players in the Indian team who step up in tricky situations -- Virat Kohli and KL Rahul -- and one of them is being unfairly demoted in the batting order.

"He's the only one who looked comfortable in the second ODI. Once the conditions are difficult, only two players step up - Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. If Rahul got out early in the last match, India were finished. But what justice is it to send Rahul at No.6 after Axar Patel? How can you justify Axar Patel batting ahead of him? Gautam Gambhir needs to understand Rahul is a marquee player. He has scored centuries at No.3 and 4 for India. Yet, he is being reduced to such a role. It's gross injustice," said Srikkanth.

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While Gambhir didn't specify the reason behind Axar's promotion in the game, it has a lot to do with the left-right combination that the Indian coach profoundly favours. In the end, India only scored 113/7 in the rain-affected match that was reduced to 26 overs per side, winning the contest by 4 runs.

Srikkanth spoke highly about India's rookie pacer, Gurnoor Brar, who emerged as the Player of the match for his figures of 4 wickets for 30 runs.

"Gurnoor Brar is pretty good in ODIs and Tests. It's in T20s that he's a problem. But the young Indian pacers have really impressed. Indian pacers have always delivered when conditions favour them, not just now, but for years, since the Javagal Srinath days. But on normal wickets, Indian pacers always get smashed," said Srikkanth.

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