Gambhir is the one who made Team India’s condition bad? (Photo- PTI)
Team India was defeated by 51 runs in the second T20 International against South Africa. While chasing the big target of 214 runs, the Indian team was reduced to just 162 runs. The biggest reason for the defeat was the continuous experiments with the batting order, the roots of which are linked to the team’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, who considered the batting position to be ‘overrated’. Actually, Gautam Gambhir had recently given a big statement on white-ball cricket and he had described Gambhir’s batting order in white-ball cricket as overrated. Gautam Gambhir has stressed many times that every batsman, except the openers, should be ready to play anywhere. Something similar was seen in this match too, which took Team India down.
Gambhir is the one who made Team India’s condition bad?
The direct effect of this thinking of Gautam Gambhir was visible in this match and it proved to be completely negative. In this match, Shubman Gill, who was continuously flopping, was again given the opening, as a result he was out on zero on the very first ball. After this the team needed an informed batsman. But Axar Patel was sent at number 3, who usually plays in the lower order. He returned under pressure after scoring only 21 runs in 21 balls, which left the team far behind in this run chase.
Since Suryakumar Yadav, who used to play at number three regularly, is coming at number four, his condition is also very bad. Even in this match he could score only 5 runs. At the same time, Tilak Verma, who played at number-3 in the last match, was pushed to number five this time. He certainly played a fighting inning of 62 runs, but by then it was too late. If Tilak had come forward, perhaps the pressure would not have been so high. On the other hand, explosive batsman Shivam Dubey was dropped to number eight, who was out after scoring just 1 run.
The batting order completely faltered
That is, the stability and confidence that was needed in the batting order was completely missing. Every batsman was in a new position, due to which no one could play his natural game. Even after the wickets fell early in the power play, no set batsman was sent up, due to which the run rate started skyrocketing and the fall of wickets started. This experiment is not limited to just one match. For the last few matches, Gill is being rotated to open, Tilak to 3-4-5, Hardik to 5-6-7 and Dubey to 7-8. The result is clear; the team is stumbling again and again while chasing the big target.
Tension increased before T20 World Cup
The 2026 T20 World Cup is now over. If every player is not given his strongest position from now and the role is not cleared, then this uncertainty can prove very costly for the team. Gambhir’s idea of flexibility sounds good in theory, but is continuously failing, so now is the time to give priority to ‘fixed roles’, otherwise after every defeat the question will arise that why are players not playing in their original positions? In such a situation, now it has to be seen with what plan Team India enters the next match, whether Gambhir goes with the same plan or whether changes are seen in the team.