India lost the three-match ODI series to England 1-2.
After Shubman Gill and co. lost the three-match ODI series to England, former Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan said that the Indian team management's long-term decision-making has lacked clarity and understanding.
Midway through the series, there was a significant change in the mood due to rumors that Rohit Sharma might announce his retirement after the third ODI between England and India at Lord’s.
Even the BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia had to step in with a statement to put an end to the speculations due to the pandemonium that followed, which contributed to the unpredictable build-up to the series finale.
However, the Indian team was crushed by England at Lord’s after the hosts put on 387/3 in 50 overs on the board thanks to 141 by Ben Duckett and half-centuries by Jacob Bethell and Joe Root. India’s chase was shouldered by Rohit Sharma, who made 138, and fifties by Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli.
However, their dismissals ended India’s hopes in the chase as they managed 360/7 and lost the game by 27 runs and the series 1-2.
Zaheer Khan urged the team management to address the matter, explaining that such rumors are harmful to the dressing room's credibility.
"Now, the atmosphere of the dressing room, or the team bonding, or the culture of the team, you do not want the internal matters to be discussed in the media. If speculations are being discussed, it means that things are coming out of the dressing room. So, I think that is an important thing that needs to be addressed. It is important for the team management and the stakeholders to be on the same page," Zaheer Khan said on Cricbuzz.
"You have to stick to whatever planning you are doing. Whatever decision you take, you have to move ahead with it. The result is not in your hands, but whatever is in your hands, atleast do that well. So, somewhere or the other, there has been a lack of it. So, good and bad days will come for Rohit and Virat, but how much impact they make on their good days, that always matters more," the former India bowler added.
Shubman Gill’s India ODI captaincy tenure has not gotten off to a good start, having lost series to Australia and New Zealand and now England. India only recorded an ODI series win against Afghanistan at home.
India’s next ODI assignment will come at home against West Indies in September.