Out-of-favour India batter Hanuma Vihari has issued one of his sharpest public critiques of the senior men’s team after India failed to defend a total of 351 for seven against the West Indies in the third and final One-Day International of the series.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Vihari declared that the side was “going backwards” and called the result a significant wake-up call for the bowling unit less than a year before the 2027 ODI World Cup. The match took place at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, also referred to as New Chandigarh, where India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bat first on a surface that offered early assistance to the pacers.
Having already clinched the three-match series with victories in the opening two games, India produced another high-scoring batting effort. The innings began poorly when Gill and Virat Kohli both fell inside the first three overs to Jayden Seales, leaving the hosts at four for two. Rohit Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad then steadied the ship with a substantial partnership, Sharma compiling a fluent 92 off 85 balls that included ten fours and three sixes before falling to Keemo Paul. Gaikwad contributed a measured 57. From there, KL Rahul took control, finishing unbeaten on 129 off just 87 deliveries with ten boundaries and six sixes. Lower-order contributions from Naman Dhir (30) and a late flourish pushed India to 351 for seven, a total that on most occasions would have been considered more than adequate in Indian conditions.
West Indies, however, responded with a record chase. Captain and wicketkeeper Shai Hope anchored the innings with an unbeaten 162 off 143 balls, an innings of remarkable composure that included seventeen fours and three sixes. He received strong support from Amir Jangoo, who scored 67, and useful contributions down the order from Keemo Paul and others. The visitors reached the target of 352 in 48.2 overs, winning by five wickets with ten balls remaining. Hope’s performance earned him player of the match, while Gill was named player of the series for his overall batting across the three games. India took the series 2-1, yet the inability to protect a score above 350, especially after conceding 405 in the previous match, left clear questions about the bowling attack.
Vihari did not mince words in his assessment. “We could not defend 350. Is this not a wake-up call? I think the team is going backwards. This is a big blow. This has happened on very rare occasions when the Indian team has failed to defend 350. This bowling attack certainly has to be investigated. They conceded 405 in the previous match as well,” he said. He framed the defeat as more than a one-off disappointment, arguing that the performance exposed deeper structural issues in the pace and spin departments at a critical juncture in the World Cup cycle. The former Test batter then examined individual performances in detail.
He described Gurnoor Brar’s effort as acceptable while noting ongoing fitness concerns, and said Nitish Kumar Reddy was also “okay.” Mohammed Siraj, in Vihari’s view, was decent but fell short of world-class standards. Kuldeep Yadav looked off-colour, and while Naman Dhir bowled respectably, Vihari stressed that a fifth-bowling option of that nature was insufficient when defending 350. “That is where the bowling has been exposed. This is where they are really missing Hardik and Bumrah,” he observed. He added that the backup seamers were largely off-colour, though Anshul Kamboj’s improved pace was a positive sign. Looking at the broader picture, Vihari noted that the team has experimented with several options, including Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Kamboj, Auqib Nabi and others, while Siraj continues to return to the side.
In his assessment, the current stage of trial and error is far from ideal with a major global tournament approaching. The comments arrive against the backdrop of an Indian bowling unit that has been without Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya for much of the series, forcing reliance on a younger and less experienced group. Vihari’s remarks underscore a growing conversation about depth, consistency and the need for proven performers ahead of the 2027 World Cup. While India’s batters continue to produce heavy scores, the inability to close out games from positions of strength has left the bowling attack under scrutiny, and Vihari’s blunt verdict has added a prominent voice to that discussion.