Former India speedster Ashish Nehra lashed out at head coach Gautam Gambhir for adding Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the ODI squad against Sri Lanka. The first India versus Sri Lanka first ODI ended without a result and the hosts defeated India in the second match to take the lead in three-match ODI series. Nehra reckoned that this series against Sri Lanka would be a better chance to test India's new talent.
Earlier, there were reports that both Rohit and Kohli would miss this ODI series but Gambhir requested him to feature in the three-match series as he wanted to spend time with them. This series is the first assignment for Gambhir as India's head coach.
“The next series India play is 2-3 months later, a rare thing for us. So for players like Rohit and Kohli...I feel there was a better chance of giving opportunities to other players during this series. I know Gambhir is a new coach, and he wants to spend some time with the experienced players, but it isn't like he doesn't know the two of them," Ashish Nehra said on Sony Sports.
Nehra said that Gambhir is not a foreign coach who wants to make the equation with Kohli and Rohit. This ODI series is the first outing for both Rohit and Kohli after the ODI World Cup 2023 final where India lost the title decider against Australia at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
"He is not a foreign coach who wants to get his equation right with Kohli and Rohit. So it was a good opportunity for him to try out the new players, and Rohit and Kohli could play when the home season begins. I'm not saying it is a wrong approach, but it could have been one of the strategies in this series,” he added.
India squad for Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
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