Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has strongly criticized India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir for making too many changes in the team during the ongoing fourth Test match against England at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Speaking on his YouTube channel after England finished Day 3 at 544/7, Sidhu said that these constant changes are affecting the team’s balance and performance.
“In the third match, Bumrah came back and Prasidh Krishna was dropped. In the fourth, Akash Deep got injured and Anshul Kamboj came in. What’s going on? Have you ever seen this many changes?” Sidhu said.
He called this a “revolving door policy” and said it’s hurting India’s team structure.
“Gautam Gambhir should know that teams win because of strong combinations, not just individual performances. When he led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), it was their six-bowler combination that helped them take 106 wickets and win matches,” Sidhu pointed out.
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He also listed several other confusing decisions from earlier matches:
- In the first match, Bumrah played but Shardul Thakur wasn’t given the ball.
- Later, Shardul was dropped, Bumrah didn’t play, and new players like Akash Deep, Washington Sundar, and Nitish Reddy were brought in.
Sidhu also questioned the bowling performance on Day 3, especially the lack of pace from Bumrah and the absence of spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
“Today, it felt like we only had two and a half bowlers. Bumrah’s speed was down too. In the first Test, 40% of his balls were over 140 km/h. Today, just one ball crossed that speed. It looks like he’s tired,” Sidhu added.
With England leading the series 2-1 and controlling the fourth Test, Sidhu’s comments have added to the growing concerns about India’s team selection and strategy.
