Vaughan blamed the team’s dated approach to white-ball games for the lack of performance after the team’s exit from the T20 World Cup.
Vaughan wrote in his column for ‘The Telegraph’, “India are the lowest performing white-ball team in history.”
“Every player in the world who goes to the Indian Premier League says how does it improve their game but what has India ever given?
“What have they done since winning the 50-over World Cup on home soil in 2011? Nothing. India is playing a white-ball game that is old and has been done for years.”
Despite having a talented Rishabh Pant in the team, India opted to go with the experienced Dinesh Karthik in the first four Super 12 matches. These include the last group match against Zimbabwe and then the left-arm pacer in the semi-finals.
But even in those two matches, Pant was of little use as he came to bat at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively and there were hardly any overs left.
Vaughan said he was surprised by India’s attitude in the shortest format.
He wrote, “How he didn’t maximize someone like Rishabh Pant is unbelievable. In this era, top him to launch it.”
“I am just amazed at how they play T20 cricket to their talent. They have players, but they don’t have the right process. They have to go for it,” he added.
In the absence of pacer Jasprit Bumrah and star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, Indian bowlers cut a sorry figure defending 169 against England as Alex Hales and Jos Buttler took 0 wickets in the powerplay before securing the target with four overs to spare. But scored 63 runs. ,
Vaughan wrote, “Why do they give the opposition bowlers the first five overs to sleep?”
“They have a left-arm bowler in Arshdeep Singh who swings it back to the right. So what do they defend 168? They give width to Jos Buttler and Alex Hales to outswing Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
“Where did the left-arm pacer get Buttler and Hales to swing in the first over?
“Madness. Cramp them for room. Don’t give them a chance to get off a flyer in the first over and let nerves settle.”
The 48-year-old also highlighted the paucity of bowling options in the current Indian team and said that the need of the hour is to have more batting all-rounders, a fact also pointed out by spin legend Anil Kumble.
He said, “When you think 10 or 15 years ago all of India’s top six were Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag and even Sourav Ganguly, they only had five. How are the bowling options?
“No batsman bowls so the captain has only five options. Their (India) bowling options are very few, they don’t bat deep enough and spin moves are lacking.”
The team management’s decision to not play leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for the entire tournament also cost India dearly.
“We know that statistics in T20 cricket tell you that a team needs a spinner who can spin it both ways. India have a lot of leg spinners. Where are they?”
He also questioned India’s record in major ICC tournaments and felt that they need to achieve more success to justify the skill level of their players.
Vaughan wrote, “India is very important to world cricket but for India to have all the advantages, they have to win more. Even in their own backyard in the 2016 World T20 they didn’t reach the final. They Last year was nowhere.”
“A humiliating innings by Virat Kohli this time, probably the best innings ever in T20Is, to beat Pakistan in the group stages. They achieve massively less for their skill levels.”
Pandits are afraid to criticize India
Vaughan feels that experts are afraid to criticize India because they fear losing work or being “hammered” on social media.
“India now have to be honest. What happens when India reach the World Cup? Everyone plays them.
“No one wants to criticize them because you’re on social media and pundits worry about losing work one day in India,” he wrote.
However, Vaughan feels now is “the time to say it straight”.
“They (experts) can hide behind their greats but it’s all about playing a team the right way.”
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