Follow UsGautam Gambhir's tenure as head coach has thrown up many surprises. One of them was not just playing Harshit Rana ahead of India's highest T20I wicket-taker, Arshdeep Singh, but in the game against Australia at MCG on October 31 (Friday), Rana was promoted above Shivam Dube.
Rana came in when India were 49/5 and put on a vital fifty partnership with Abhishek Sharma. He slammed 35 off 33, but the innings did very little to induce momentum in the innings.
India were eventually shut out for 125, and the hosts completed a four-wicket win in the end.
Speaking of such constant shuffling, former India opener Sadagopan Ramesh is not too pleased with it and called for players' secondary skills not to be treated as their primary role.
"Someone who cooks well cannot be made a driver and a good driver cannot become the cook. Likewise, management should focus on each player's strengths and primary role in the team, aiming to maximise their performance in that role," Ramesh said while speaking on a video on his Instagram profile.
"If they do something extra, that is well and good. But their secondary skill shouldn't become the primary role and I fear that is happening in this Indian team.
"A bowler who can bat needs to deliver with the ball first and likewise, a batter who can bat must deliver with the ball first," Ramesh said. "The management needs to be clear on this. That is where India are slipping right now."
Ramesh, who played 19 Tests and 24 ODIs for India, insists that India have to stop playing musical chairs with their batting order.
"India needs to stop playing musical chairs with their batting order. They would have had a great chance of winning if they had scored 160 to 170. Didn't Suryakumar Yadav play well at No. 3 in the last match? He was not out as well," Ramesh said.
"Samson went from opening to No. 5 and now from 5 to 3. Because of this, everyone is looking at each other in confusion about who might go in to bat next. Tilak Varma won India the Asia Cup final at No. 4 and you moved him to No. 5."
India will look to draw level in the five-match T20I series, with the next match set to be played in Hobart on November 2 (Sunday).