India is unlikely to make it to the final of the Asia Cup 2022.
India’s batting has looked a bit ineffective in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022, and Robin Uthappa feels it was the result of overthinking.
The veteran batter said that India has players to play in specific positions, but overthinking led them to try out in different positions, and eventually, they failed to contribute with the bat in the Asia Cup 2022.
He further cited Deepak Hooda's name, as India played him at numbers 6 and 7, and it did not work out, with the all-rounder scoring just 3 and 16 runs against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, respectively.
Robin Uthappa told ESPNCricinfo: “We are trying to fix something that is not broken. We have overthought ourselves out of this. As much as you say you want to play a certain brand of cricket, there is a secret to the sauce and that is wickets in hand when you bat first. If you don't have wickets towards the back end of the innings, you are always going to be under the pump.”
He slammed the Indian team management for not giving ideal batting positions to players like Hooda in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022, saying the all-rounder is doing a finisher’s job despite being a middle-order batter. He came into the playing XI after Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the tournament with knee injury.
Uthappa further explained, “You have to have horses or courses in the sense that you need to have players who play well in certain positions. What India have done in the last couple of games is they have brought in personnel who aren't playing in their ideal positions. Deepak Hooda is not a finisher. He has not finished for Lucknow Super Giants or for India in the past.”
He signed off by saying, “You throw him at the business end of a tournament like the Asia Cup at No.6 and No.7, you are just putting pressure on the player. He is a high quality who thrives in a certain position, make him play there.”