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India's preparations for next year's ODI World Cup have suffered a setback after defeats in two of their last three bilateral ODI series, against New Zealand and England. With time running out before the marquee tournament, the team management is still searching for the right combinations but has struggled to deliver consistent results. The disappointing run has also brought new captain Shubman Gill under increasing scrutiny. Gill took over the ODI captaincy from Rohit Sharma last year despite the veteran opener leading India to the Champions Trophy title. As India continue to experiment with their squad, questions are being raised over the team's direction and ability to build momentum ahead of the World Cup.
Questioning Shubman's tactical acumen, Hanuma Vihari said the ODI captain has plenty to learn as a leader, pointing to his bowling changes and field placements during India's recent series defeat to England.
“Having just five bowlers in the last ODI, he (Gill) was struggling with his bowling changes. When everyone was getting hit, not having a sixth option became a concern for him,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“You should also know how to handle things when this option is not there. Whether it is field placement or bowling changes, I feel he has to improve. He has a lot to improve in captaincy. His batting is outstanding, but he has to get better as captain because the results are not coming,” he added.
Gill's stint as India's captain has produced mixed results so far. He started with a creditable 2-2 draw in the five-Test series in England and followed it up with a 2-0 home Test series win over West Indies. However, India then lost ODI series to Australia, New Zealand and England by identical 2-1 margins. The team also suffered a 2-0 home Test series defeat to South Africa, although Gill captained only the first match before missing the remainder. His best results came against Afghanistan at home, where India won the one-off Test and completed a 3-0 sweep in the ODI series. While there have been encouraging moments, the results have also exposed the challenges Gill has faced early in his tenure as India's captain.
Hanuma Vihari questions Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion
Sharing his views on India's squad composition, Vihari said he was baffled by Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion, arguing that experienced match-winners are vital if India are serious about lifting the ODI World Cup.
“Why was Kuldeep left out? It is something that I cannot understand. Going with youth in T20s is still fine, but here you have to go with experience. India have so many such players. Seeing the IPL, you feel there are many new players, but match-winners are very few, and you have to pick those match-winners. If you have winning the World Cup in mind, you will pick experienced players and those who know how to win games,” he said.
Continuing his criticism, Vihari described Kuldeep's exclusion from the Lord's ODI as a "shocker".
“Lord’s is a slow wicket. On that wicket, you played four fast bowlers and did not play Kuldeep. It was a shocker. If you take him in the team but don’t give him a chance in a series like this, how will you pick him for the World Cup? This is a question everyone has to ask after losing a series like this,” he added.
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