Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Hardik Pandya have not performed well and are in the team based on reputation: Dilip Doshi

The Indian cricket team was decimated by the Pakistan side in their opening match of the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup. Virat Kohli and his men were thrashed by the Pakistan side by 10 wickets to start their campaign in the multi-nation tournament on a disappointing note.

And now, former Indian cricketer Dilip Doshi has offered his thoughts on India’s defeat in their opening rubber. Doshi admitted that the Indian cricket team was outplayed by Pakistan. The 73-year-old also added that the Indian top order has struggled on a regular basis against left-arm fast bowlers.

Doshi also opined that apart from Virat Kohli, the other batters displayed faulty technique. Doshi also reckoned that the Indian batsmen lacked application and common sense.

“We were completely outplayed by Pakistan. They looked a far better side on that particular day. We have to understand why we weren’t effective. Our top-order batters have struggled regularly against left-arm pacers bowling over the wicket over the past few years. The techniques of our batters, barring Virat, were faulty. I would attribute the failure to a lack of application and common sense on the part of our batters,” said Dilip Doshi in a chat with Sportskeeda.

India cannot afford to drop Ravichandran Ashwin: Dilip Doshi

Dilip Doshi also added that players like Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have not performed to their potential, and are playing only based on their reputation. Doshi also termed Ravichandran Ashwin as the best spinner in the world at the moment and concluded by stating that the Virat Kohli-led Indian side cannot afford to drop a player of Ashwin’s calibre from the playing XI.

“It’s true that some people are playing based on their past reputation. Players like Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar haven’t performed to their full potential for some time now. Ravichandran Ashwin should play every game because he’s the world’s best spinner at present. You cannot afford to drop him,” concluded Dilip Doshi.

India’s next assignment in the 2021 T20 World Cup will be against New Zealand on 31st October 2021.