cricket

Updated: Mar 01, 2019 08:24 IST

Former India internationals Sanjay Manjrekar and Aakash Chopra have slammed the Indian team management for their selection decisions in the team’s 2-0 T20I series defeat at home at the hands of Australia.

India narrowly lost the first T20I in Vizag on the last ball of the match and put on board an imposing 191-run target in the second match in Bengaluru, but a smashing unbeaten century (55-ball 113) from Glenn Maxwell eased Australia to a 7-wicket win with two balls to spare.

In both the games Indian bowling attack wasn’t at its best barring a few exceptions.

And former India international Manjrekar has labelled the home team’s bowling attack during the series “the weakest bowling attack seen for a while”.

I know they are playing around with team selection with WC in mind, but this has to be the weakest bowling attack seen for a while, with Krunal & Vijay Shankar as two of the five bowlers.#INDvsAUS — Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 27, 2019

“I know they are playing around with team selection with WC [World Cup] in mind, but this has to be the weakest bowling attack seen for a while, with Krunal & Vijay Shankar as two of the five bowlers,” Manjrekar wrote on Twitter.

Chopra, who played 10 Tests for India, was also unequivocal in his criticism of the team’s selection, saying the side was loaded a little too much with specialist bowlers.

Playing only five bowlers leaves no room for anyone to have a bad day....Chahal was expensive but India didn’t have a choice of going to anyone else. Flawed tactic in a T20 game. This is India’s second consecutive T20 series loss. #IndvAus — Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 27, 2019

“Playing only five bowlers leaves no room for anyone to have a bad day....[Yuzvendra] Chahal was expensive but India didn’t have a choice of going to anyone else. Flawed tactic in a T20 game. This is India’s second consecutive T20 series loss. #IndvAus”, Chopra tweeted.

India will now play Australia in a five-match ODI series. The first game will be played in Hyderabad on Saturday.