- Thursday, February 27, 2025
India came back into the five-match series after losing the first two games but were hammered by the West Indies in the decider by eight wickets.
By: Shubham Ghosh
FORMER India pacer Venkatesh Prasad tore into the Indian national team after it lost the final T20 international match against the West Indies at the Central Broward Regional Park stadium in Lauderhill in Florida, US, by eight wickets on Sunday (13) to squander the series 2-3.
While India T20 captain Hardik Pandya showed little signs of worry after the loss, which ended India’s unbeaten 12-series streak, Prasad said the result called for a serious inspection adding that the team has looked ‘ordinary’ in limited-overs cricket for some time now.
India are ranked No.1 in the shortest format while the West Indies are placed at No.7, as per the International Cricket Council.
India, which did not have experienced players such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in their ranks, lost the first two matches before winning the next two but eventually lost the series. They won a two-Test series 1-0 and a three-one-day-international series 2-1 before the T20s.
India has been a very very ordinary limited overs side for sometime now. They have been humbled by a West Indies side that failed to qualify for the T20 WC few months back. We had also lost to Ban in the ODI series. Hope they introspect instead of making silly statements #IndvWI
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) August 13, 2023
“India has been a very very ordinary limited overs side for sometime now,” Prasad posted on social media platform X, formerly called Twitter.
“They have been humbled by a West Indies side that failed to qualify for the T20 WC few months back. We had also lost to Ban in the ODI series. Hope they introspect instead of making silly statements.”
India lost to Bangladesh in a one-day international 2-1 on their soil last December.
The 54-year-old Prasad, who has taken nearly 300 international wickets for India in Tests and one-day internationals, was particularly critical of Pandya’s post-match remarks wherein he spoke about focusing on the “long process” and not on losing a series “here and there”.
The former India cricketer was also upset that India lost to a side which has failed to qualify for the 50-over world cup starting in October. He also reminded that the Caribbean side did not make it to the Super-12 stage at the T20 world cup in Australia last year.
Not just 50 overs, West Indies had failed to qualify for the T20 World cup last Oct- Nov as well.
It pains to see India perform poorly and brush it under the carpet, under the garb of process. That hunger, fire is missing and we live in an illusion. https://t.co/8GDNDfW9dg— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) August 13, 2023
“Not just 50 overs, West Indies had failed to qualify for the T20 World cup last Oct- Nov as well. It pains to see India perform poorly and brush it under the carpet, under the garb of process. That hunger, fire is missing and we live in an illusion,” he wrote.
He also said that the team captain and management need to be held accountable and said there was inconsistency in selection.
They are responsible for the debacle and need to be accountable. Process and such words are misused now. MS meant it, guys now just use the word. There is no consistency in selection, random stuff happening too much https://t.co/jJhUgsd5KA
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) August 13, 2023
“They are responsible for the debacle and need to be accountable. Process and such words are misused now. MS (Dhoni) meant it, guys now just use the word. There is no consistency in selection, random stuff happening too much,” he posted.
Team India is currently coached by Rahul Dravid, Prasad’s one-time colleague in the national side who also hails from his home state Karnataka.
In another post, Prasad said the Indian skipper looked clueless at times and alleged that favourotism prevailed when it came to picking players.
India needs to improve their skillset. Their is a hunger & intensity deficiency & often the captain looked clueless. Bowler’s can’t bat, batsmen can’t bowl.
It’s important to not look for yes men and be blinded because someone is your favourite player but look at the larger good— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) August 13, 2023
“India needs to improve their skillset. Their is a hunger & intensity deficiency & often the captain looked clueless. Bowler’s can’t bat, batsmen can’t bowl. It’s important to not look for yes men and be blinded because someone is your favourite player but look at the larger good,” he said.
India will next face Ireland in a three-match T20I series that starts later this week and will be captained by Jasprit Bumrah, who is making a comeback into international cricket after almost a year.
