India’s concerning slump in T20I cricket deepened with a 4-0 series defeat against England, extending a winless run to six of their last seven completed matches. In the wake of the whitewash, scrutiny has intensified around head coach Gautam Gambhir and the team management’s selection philosophy, with allegations of favouritism taking center stage.
Among the most prominent critics is former India batter Hanuma Vihari, who launched a scathing assessment of the squad composition on his YouTube channel. Vihari accused Gambhir of prioritising a specific group of players regardless of their current form or utility to the side.
“Gautam Gambhir has certain favourite players, and he wants to take them and play them. I don’t see any value in these players added to the side,” Vihari stated. He specifically questioned the inclusion of Shivam Dube, who he noted contributes neither with the ball nor in the field while lacking batting form, and Abhishek Sharma, whose all-round returns were deemed unimpressive. Vihari also challenged Washington Sundar’s prolonged retention, citing a lack of significant impact over the years.
Does Relentless XI Tinkering Undermine Player Security?
Vihari further criticised the management’s incessant shuffling of the playing XI, arguing it has created an environment of instability. He highlighted the handling of Sanju Samson and teenage opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi as a prime example. Samson featured in four matches before being dropped to accommodate Suryavanshi, who himself was omitted after just three games to bring the Kerala wicketkeeper back.
“Spinners were the problem, whether Varun Chakaravarthy or Axar Patel. Why was Ravi Bishnoi taken on this tour? The problem is in the squad selection and the playing XI selection,” Vihari remarked. “You gave Samson opportunities in Ireland and then played Suryavanshi. You dropped him also after three games. There is no security anywhere in the team. If you do not perform, you will be kicked out. You should give it a long run. If you were fixed on playing Suryavanshi, at least give him five or six games and then decide whether he is good enough or not. I don’t think this is the right attitude. Security is important for players,” he added.
