An unexpected defeat to Sri Lanka in the second ODI of the three-match series left India stunned. The 2024 T20 World Cup champions dramatically messed up with the bat to fail in chasing down a modest target of 241, and eventually, India was bowled out for 208. With the first match ending in a tie, India now trails 0-1 in the series. Though the entire performance was poor, captain Rohit Sharma stood out as the only Indian batsman who could deliver a noteworthy innings.
The most glaring disappointment came in the form of star batsman Virat Kohli, who failed to make a difference in either of the matches. Kohli was cleaned up for a measly 24 runs in the first and could only hold on to 14 runs in the second before falling to the spinners in both instances.
Former Pakistani cricketer Basit Ali has reacted to Kohli’s woes, citing an apparent lack of practice by the Indian team. “A great batsman like Virat Kohli, the world’s number one batsman, has been out LBW twice. It’s understandable if it happens to Iyer or Dube, but Virat Kohli is Virat Kohli. This means that he is not in practice,” Basit commented on his YouTube channel.
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He also criticized the whole Indian batting lineup, saying that they all did not seem prepared for the challenge. “It did not seem that this is the batting lineup which rules the world. I feel that Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul probably haven’t even practiced. These people have come without practice,” he added.
More especially, though, it was Shreyas Iyer who came under fire for underwhelming performances. Basit Ali believes that perhaps the time has come to consider other players like Rinku Singh, Rishabh Pant, or Riyan Parag to take the lineup forward.
“I don’t understand what Shreyas Iyer is going to do with such performances. I think the time has come for Rishabh Pant, Riyan Parag, and Rinku Singh,” said Basit Ali.
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Looking ahead, Basit emphasized the importance of India’s 50-over domestic tournament for new head coach Gautam Gambhir. He feels that picking players based on present form and performance will be very crucial for success in the upcoming Champions Trophy. “If India picks players based on reputation, the results won’t be too good in the Champions Trophy,” Basit concluded.
