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'Bring him back if youngsters can't perform. Rohit at 3, Kohli 4': Ex-Pakistan captain's unflinching message to Dravid
The former Pakistan captain had a unique suggestion for Rahul Dravid and co. after disappointing defeat in the 2nd ODI vs West Indies.
Team India faced a disappointing loss in the second ODI of the series against West Indies on Saturday. The side, playing without captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (both rested), was bundled out on 181, with the hosts chasing down the target with six wickets remaining in Barbados. The decision to rest Rohit and Kohli didn't sit quite well with the Indian fans, and a rather unusual batting order further added to fans' fury.
While Sanju Samson batted at no.3, all-rounder Axar Patel batted at no.4 for the side. Suryakumar Yadav didn't arrive at the crease until the fall of fourth wicket, as Ishan Kishan (55) looked the only player with some composure and authority in the middle. Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt addressed India's concerning performance with the bat on his official YouTube channel, and insisted that the current generation of batters don't inspire the confidence in the fifty-over format.
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Comparing the youngsters in the current team to those during the 2010s, Butt stated that players would step up if some of the main India batters would take rest; something that he doesn't see with today's batters.
“Clearly, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma didn't play so everyone was on their own. They missed the duo's presence. Earlier, when the likes of Dhoni and other main players rested, Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir or Yuvraj Singh would take care of the batting. But the current players haven't been able to establish themselves in ODI cricket. Before the World Cup, they have to sort it out,” Butt said.
“I think the way ODIs are played, if the new players aren't able to perform on frequent basis, maybe you can have Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill opening, and maybe Rohit Sharma can come one down with Virat Kohli at 4. Then you can Suryakumar and other players like KL Rahul. There are 3-4 players in this team who play in the opening role, and when they came down, the output isn't the same,” he further said.
It doesn't help the Indian team that two of their first-choice middle-order batters – Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul – are currently undergoing rehab after injuries sustained earlier this year. The latest update from BCCI on the duo last week does inspire hope that Iyer and Rahul will return in time for the bigger tournaments this year – the Asia Cup and the World Cup in October-November.
With only one ODI to go in the West Indies series, the team management is expected to bring both, Rohit and Kohli back in Tarouba. This will be India's last bit of ODI action before the Asia Cup, where India are placed alongside arch-rivals Pakistan and Nepal.
