Sanjay Manjrekar Mocks Gautam Gambhir After India's T20 World Cup Loss: "Has Only 1 Remedy For All Problems"
One playing XI change made by the Indian cricket team in the T20 World Cup Super 8 clash — the one the world is talking about — was Axar Patel being dropped for Washington Sundar
- India dropped Axar Patel for Washington Sundar in the T20 World Cup Super 8 match against South Africa
- "Gautam Gambhir seems to have one solution for all problems. Washington Sundar," Manjrekar said
- "If there’s a batting issue - Washi. If there’s a bowling problem, same answer. It's a bit too much," he added
One playing XI change made by the Indian cricket team in the T20 World Cup Super 8 clash — the one the world is talking about — was Axar Patel being dropped for Washington Sundar. India lost the match by 76 runs. Washington Sundar scored only 11 runs and bowled two overs in the match. A former India star mocked Gautam Gambhir's call to include Sundar, calling him the India head coach's “one-stop solution for everything.”
“Kailash Jeevan — there used to be a medicine by that name back in the day. If you had a headache, you'd apply it. If you had a stomach ache, you'd take it. It was an all-in-one remedy. Gautam Gambhir seems to have one remedy for all problems. Everybody knows his name — Washington Sundar. If there's a batting issue, Washi is the answer. If there's a bowling problem, same answer. He was promoted up the order. Rinku Singh came at No. 6, Hardik Pandya came at No. 7 today, and Rinku... it's a bit too much,” Manjrekar said on Sports Next.
With the loss against South Africa, India now face a must-win situation in their next two matches — against Zimbabwe (on Thursday) and against West Indies (on Sunday).
The Indian team management may drop at least one among three out-of-form batters and revisit its one-dimensional template of playing too many left-handers in the top order, indicated head coach Gautam Gambhir's assistants Ryan ten Doeschate and Sitanshu Kotak.
South Africa thrashed India by 76 runs in the Super Eight clash of the T20 World Cup on Sunday, and with two must-win games left, the team management may have to reassess the performances of Abhishek Sharma (15 runs in four games) and Tilak Varma (107 runs in five games at a strike rate of 118).
Not to forget, designated finisher Rinku Singh's aggregate of 24 runs in 29 balls at a disastrous strike rate of 82.75 is embarrassing, to say the least.
"If the head coach and team management feel we need to do something different, we will do things differently. Definitely, a thought now comes — if we have to change, what do we change and how do we change?" batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said, not hiding the fact that the team is indeed in a spot.
"Now we have reached a point where we need to think if we need to do something different or stick with the same combination," Kotak added matter-of-factly.
Ten Doeschate was a bit more forthcoming when he admitted that it is indeed a “concern” that there are no back-up specialist batters in the squad, and that Sanju Samson, despite his poor form, might be back in the mix.
India Cricket Team
Gautam Gambhir