Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has said that India, on several occasions, picked a second-string side by resting the senior players of their team. He also added that while they have a strong bench strength, they failed to live up to the expectations in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against West Indies as India suffered an eight-wicket loss in the fifth encounter on Sunday, August 13, resulting in the host winning the series 3-2.
Speaking on his YouTube channel after India’s loss, Butt said: “Many would say that it was a T20I series, and several of India’s top players were missing. But at the same time, this is India’s normal practice. It wasn’t the first time that a young side was picked. It also wasn’t that West Indies are a very big team, and it was very difficult for India to beat them. They surely have a big pool of players. However, the kind of performances and outcomes that you expect from India, didn’t translate into practicality this time around.”
He also claimed that the unfavourable result is likely to dent Team India’s confidence ahead of important events like the Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 as well.
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“It doesn’t matter what the format is or who the opposition is. Winning does boost the side’s confidence for their next assignment. Similarly, a defeat like this will surely dent India’s confidence,” Salman Butt again said. “You might not see it in the interviews, but you will see it in the body language and decision-making.”
However, the Hardik Pandya-led side faced defeats in the first two encounters. They made amends by levelling the series 2-2 by winning the third and fourth games. But, they failed to cross the line in the all-important fifth and final game as well.
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“Usually, when a team loses two back-to-back matches in a series, they tend to lose momentum, and the other team goes on to win the final game. However, West Indies did not let that happen, and in fact, it proved to be a one-sided match. India never looked like they were in the game once their bowling started,” Salman Butt concluded.
