Former India captain and ex-chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth lashed out at Gautam Gambhir over what he called inconsistency in India’s Test selection and said he was not ready to listen to justifications from the team management. Srikkanth was speaking on his YouTube show after India conceded a 288-run lead in the first innings of the second Test against South Africa.
Critics were up in arms India were staring at another home series whitewashwho already lost 0:3 to New Zealand last year. After going down in the series opener on a difficult pitch in Kolkata, India were outclassed in the first innings in Guwahati as South Africa piled up 489 after opting to bat before bowling India out for 201.
Reflecting on India’s decline in Tests since Gambhir became head coach, Srikkanth criticized the team’s selection policy and questioned why the players were not getting consistent runs.
“In every alternate match, someone makes their debut. They can say trial and error. Gautam Gambhir can say whatever he wants. I don’t care. I was a former captain and a former chairman of selectors. I know what I’m talking about. I’m not talking out of a hat. You need consistency,” Srikkanth said.
Gambhir famously stated that he would not drop players and that any changes would be about picking the right team to win. Still, consider this statistic: since Gambhir took charge, India have used 24 players in Tests in just one year. In contrast, during Virat Kohli’s seven-year tenure as captain, a total of only 41 players were deployed.
In the first Test, India played Washington Sundar at No.3 only to move him to No.8 in the first innings of the Guwahati Test. Sai Sudharsan, who was dropped to open the series despite scoring 87 in his previous Test, is back at No.3.
India struggled with the bat in good batting conditions and managed only 201 runs. Apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal (58) and Washington Sundar (48), none of the other batsmen crossed the 25-run mark. Dhruv Jurel, batting at No. 4, was dismissed for 0 while captain Rishabh Pant dropped his wicket for 7.
HOW CAN YOU CALL NITISH VERSATILE?
Nitish Reddy, who was recalled for the second Test, was out in the 10th.
The former India opener also questioned why Axar Patel was left out of the playing XI after he returned to the Test line-up only in the first Test in Kolkata.
Srikkanth came down heavily on Nitish’s selection, saying that the youngster is not yet good enough to feature in India’s Test XI, especially in home conditions.
He argued that India should have opted for a specialist batsman like Sarfaraz Khan instead of Nitish Reddy, especially when Shubman Gill was unavailable for the second Test after sustaining a neck injury in the series opener.
“Who calls Nitish Reddy an all-rounder? Can anyone see his bowling and say he is an all-rounder. He hit a hundred at the MCG but what did he do after that. One swallow does not make a summer as they say. If Nitish Reddy is an all-rounder then I am a great all-rounder.”
“Does he have movement, pace? He is not some lethal batsman either. Let’s call a spade a spade. How is Nitish doing in the ODI team too? What has he done? Is Nitish a replacement for Hardik Pandya?! Why not Axar Patel?”
At tea on Day 4 in Guwahati, South Africa stretched their lead to nearly 400 with seven wickets still in hand. India will have to shed their skins to salvage the second Test and avoid another home whitewash.
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
November 25, 2025
