NEW DELHI: Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh has raised concerns about the Indian cricket team’s sudden decline in red-ball and ODI formats following their T20 World Cup triumph in Barbados under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan highlighted the team’s struggles, particularly in Tests, and urged the management to prioritise performance over reputation in player selection.
“Everything was fine till Rahul Dravid was there. India won the World Cup, and everything was fine. But what happened suddenly?” Harbhajan questioned, pointing to the drastic dip in results since the coaching transition to Gautam Gambhir’s regime. He noted that while the team retained its dominance in T20Is, their performances in Tests and ODIs have been inconsistent.
India suffered a historic home Test series whitewash against New Zealand and a 3-1 defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, marking the first time in a decade that Australia reclaimed the trophy. Harbhajan said, “In the past six months, we lost to Sri Lanka, a series whitewash against New Zealand, and now a 3-1 defeat in Australia. Everything seems to have fallen apart.”
Senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have come under scrutiny for their lackluster performances during the Australia series. Kohli managed just 190 runs at an average of 23.75 in eight innings, frequently dismissed by Scott Boland, while Rohit scored only 31 runs across three Tests. Harbhajan suggested that the management should move beyond the “superstar attitude” and focus on form and potential.
“Every player has a reputation. If this is the thing, then add Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, or those who have been India’s biggest match-winners. BCCI and selectors should take hold. India should leave behind the superstar attitude,” he said.
He also criticised the lack of opportunities for promising players like Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sarfaraz Khan, who were part of the squad but did not play. “Abhimanyu Easwaran was taken on tour, but he didn’t play. He can become a player for India if he is given the opportunity. Sarfaraz is the same case. The player who performs should go [to England]. You should not pick players on reputation,” Harbhajan added.
With no immediate Test matches before the tour of England in seven months, Harbhajan believes India have time to reflect and rebuild. He called on the BCCI and selectors to ensure performance-based selections and take decisive steps to steer the team back on track. “The ball is in the selectors’ court now. They have to decide,” Harbhajan concluded.
