India head coach Gautam Gambhir | Source: X.com
Former Indian cricketer Dodda Ganesh has lashed out at Indian management for dropping KL Rahul from the playing XI for the ODI series finale against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Wednesday, August 7.
Rahul managed scores of 31 (43) and a two-ball duck in his two innings of the series. The Indian team drew the first game and then lost the second by 32 runs. KL Rahul has been replaced by Rishabh Pant in the XI for 3rd ODI.
Dodda Ganesh, in his tweet questioned why Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag were selected over the more experienced KL Rahul, who has previously captained India in ODIs before the Sri Lanka series. He posted on X:
“Only in a crazy universe will u have Dube and Riyan Parag playing ahead of KL Rahul, in a decider ODI. Don’t understand what’s happening. He was leading India just 3 ODIs ago and all of a sudden, one failure & he is out of the playing XI. Ridiculous is an understatement.”
Only in a crazy universe will u have Dube and Riyan Parag playing ahead of KL Rahul, in a decider ODI. Don’t understand what’s happening. He was leading India just 3 ODIs ago and all of a sudden, one failure & he is out of the playing XI. Ridiculous is an understatement #SLvIND— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) August 7, 2024
KL Rahul has been struggling, particularly since IPL 2024, where his performance as captain and player was subpar. After his exclusion from the T20 World Cup 2024 squad, this ODI series was a chance to prove himself, but he faltered in the first two matches.
