Former Team India player Kris Srikkanth lashed out at the management for mishandling Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal in ODIs amid the ongoing series against Afghanistan. The duo were not part of India’s squad for the series, despite scoring centuries in their respective last ODI innings as well. Eventually, Jaiswal was brought in as a replacement for the injured Virat Kohli, while Gaikwad is currently playing the tri-series in Sri Lanka with India A as well.
Talking about Gaikwad and Jaiswal’s place in India’s ODI setup, Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel: “Ruturaj and Jaiswal must be wondering why they aren’t there despite scoring centuries in their last ODI innings. They should at least be in the 15 always and then be told that they are trying x,y,z. This is where the continuity is missing. You score a century 3 to 4 months back and still get forgotten.”
“That has to be questioned. The lack of continuity is what’s hurting Ruturaj, Jaiswal, or even Sanju Samson. Scoring a century and then being nowhere in the picture is baffling. There needs to be clarity in what they are doing. Ishan Kishan scored a 200 in ODIs a few years back and then didn’t play at all,” he further added.
READ HERE: Shubman Gill Breaks Silence On ODI Futures Of Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli
However, K Srikkanth applauded skipper Shubman Gill for his match-winning knock in the ODI series opener against Afghanistan in Dharamsala. He was particularly impressed by Gill’s driving as well.
“He played so effortlessly in the run chase. His drives are extraordinary, which is why he averages so much in India. On Indian pitches, you won’t have the extra seam or bounce. It’s very convenient for him as he likes the ball coming onto the bat. Even off good length, he drives the ball so easily and efficiently,” said Srikkanth.
“The way he handled Rashid Khan was fantastic. Gill must have gotten used to him after playing him in the nets for GT so much. He smashed Rashid, especially in the midwicket area. But the cover drive is his go-to shot. He is able to adapt beautifully to the knocks in IPL, then a Test match century, and now an ODI 80-odd,” he concluded.
