Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary has expressed his disappointment with captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir following India's recent Test series loss to New Zealand. The defeat in the second Pune Test brought an end to India's impressive 18-series winning streak at home. In the aftermath of this defeat, both Rohit and Gambhir have faced criticism for their tactics and team selection. Tiwary, during a discussion, cautioned Rohit and Gambhir about potential issues within the team.
Tiwary suggested that India's decline began when Rohit chose to bat first in the rain-affected series opener in Bengaluru. This decision may have contributed to the team's struggles in the subsequent matches. It is clear that there are concerns within the team that need to be addressed in order to bounce back from this setback.
"India's biggest enemy was the weather in Bengaluru, because they had prepared a turning track. After winning the toss India had the opportunity to field, but I don't know why they opted to bat first, and that is where it all started. First, they got the team selection wrong, then after losing the first Test, they made three changes," Tiwary told Cricbuzz.
Tiwary was concerned that the selection decisions made during the Bengaluru and Pune Tests could potentially cause disruptions and create rifts within the Indian team.
"Well, you could call that Washington Sundar change an inspiring one, but that doesn't mean that Kuldeep Yadav could not get them wickets. So they felt the dearth of batting options, and hence, they wanted Sundar to contribute lower down the order. That is why India went out of their way to get him in. What this will lead to is in the coming days there will be a lot of disturbances in the team, there will be cracks in the team. You already have a spin-bowling all-rounder in Axar Patel, who picked up wickets in spinning conditions previously. But you ignored him and then benched Kuldeep in the second Test. You did not play Akash Deep in Bengaluru, but included him in the second Test, where you did not give him the ball in the second innings. Then you did not start with Jasprit Bumrah in the attack. All these things will backfired," he added.
Rohit and co. are determined to make a strong comeback in the upcoming third and final Test match, scheduled to begin on November 1st. This match holds significant importance as it precedes the crucial tour of Australia next month.
India is set to play five Tests in Australia, with the series expected to play a pivotal role in determining their fate in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. The team is fully focused on delivering their best performance to secure a spot in the championship final.
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