former indian batsman Hanuma Vihari Shubman Gill questioned the captaincy after India’s 27-run loss to England in the third ODI at Lord’s, criticizing the team’s decision to field only five bowling options in the series decider.India suffered a heartbreaking defeat as England posted a record 387/3 for their highest ODI total at Lord’s, with the visitors unable to do so despite a brilliant century from Rohit Sharma. With Jasprit Bumrah out with a knee injury, India fielded four specialist pacers in the match, with Axar Patel as the lone spinner, leaving Gill without a sixth bowling option. The inexperienced attack struggled to contain England’s batsmen, with Ben Duckett’s 141 and Jacob Bethell’s 91 giving the home team a daunting total.
Hanuma Vihari questions Gill’s bowling management
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Vihari opined that Gill will find it difficult to rotate his bowlers due to lack of additional bowling options.“There were only five bowlers in the last ODI and he (Gill) struggled with bowling changes. When everyone is being hit, not having a sixth option becomes a worry for him and you should also know how to handle things when that option is not available. Whether it is field placement or bowling changes, I feel he has to improve. He has a lot to improve in terms of captaincy. His batting is outstanding, but he has to become better as captain.
Vihari baffled by Kuldeep Yadav’s omission
Vihari also questioned the decision to leave wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav out of the starting XI, arguing that India should prioritize experienced match-winners in their preparations for the ODI World Cup.“Why Kuldeep was left out? This is something I can’t understand. In T20s, young players are okay, but in ODIs, you have to have experience. Seeing the IPL, you will feel that there are many new players but very few match-winners and you have to pick those match-winners. If winning the World Cup is your goal, you have to back experienced players and those who know how to win matches,” said the Vidsai player.This is the first time India has lost an ODI series to England since 2018.
