"Used To Celebrating Mediocrity": Venkatesh Prasad Rips Into Indian Team

Former Indian cricket team fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad criticised Rohit Sharma and Co after losing the second ODI match against West Indies in Barbados on Saturday. India struggled to score runs in the absence of star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as they were all out for just 181. Earlier, the Indian cricket team also missed out the opportunity to whitewash the hosts in the Test series but rain played spoilsport as the second match of the series ended in a draw. Prasad tweeted that India have been ordinary in white-ball cricket and even called them out for “celebrating mediocrity”.

“Test cricket aside, India has been very ordinary in the other two formats for quite sometime now. Lost odi series against ban, SA and Aus. Poor in the last two T20 World Cups. Neither are we an exciting team like England nor brutal like how the Aussies used to be. Cont,” Prasad tweeted.

Test cricket aside, India has been very ordinary in the other two formats for quite sometime now.
Lost odi series against ban, SA and Aus. Poor in the last two T20 World Cups.
Neither are we an exciting team like England nor brutal like how the Aussies used to be. Cont

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) July 30, 2023

“Despite the money and power, we have become used to celebrating mediocrity and are far from how champion sides are. Every team plays to win and so does India but their approach and attitude is also a factor for underperformance over a period of time,” he added.

Despite the money and power, we have become used to celebrating mediocrity and are far from how champion sides are. Every team plays to win and so does India but their approach and attitude is also a factor for underperformance over a period of time.

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) July 30, 2023

The batting audition of India's World Cup aspirants didn't go as per plan on a bouncy track as West Indies levelled the three-match ODI series with a comfortable six-wicket victory, riding on superb bowling efforts from Romario Shepherd and Gudakesh Motie.

Indian team management's decision to rest skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli badly backfired as none of the middle-order batters could cope with pace, bounce and turn, getting all-out for 181 in 40.5 overs in the rain-marred second ODI, on Saturday.

In reply, West Indies survived a lively spell from Shardul Thakur (3/42 in 8 overs) before skipper Shai Hope (63 not out, 80 balls) and young Keacy Carty (48 not out, 65 balls) added 91 runs for the unbroken fifth wicket to close the game in 36.4 overs and break a chain of nine successive bilateral defeats since December, 2019.

However it was an inept batting effort that became India's undoing.

Losing five wickets for 23 runs in just 7.2 overs after opening stand of 90 between Ishan Kishan (55 off 55 balls) and Shubman Gill (34 off 49 balls) hurt India's cause after the West Indies skipper Shai Hope opted to bowl.

(With PTI inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Venkatesh Prasad Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma Shubman Gill India Cricket Team West Indies Cricket Team West Indies vs India, 2023 Cricket