India lost the fifth T20I to West Indies and ended up conceding the series.
In the all-important game, the Men in Blue posted 165/9 in their allotted 20 overs on the back of Suryakumar Yadav’s 45-ball 61.
In reply, West Indies rode on opener Brandon King’s unbeaten 85 off 55 balls and wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran’s 35-ball 47 to overhaul the target with two overs to spare.
After the result, former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad launched a scathing attack on the Indian team, calling it an ordinary side in white-ball cricket.
“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,” Prasad wrote on X.
“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 added.
Prasad slammed the captain and team management for brushing poor performance under the garb of process time and again.
“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,” Prasad stated.
“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,” he further wrote.
During the tour of West Indies, India won the two-Test series 1-0 and the three-ODI series 2-1 but suffered a 3-2 defeat in the five-match T20I series. Now, the team will travel to Ireland for three T20Is under the captaincy of Jasprit Bumrah.
Following the Ireland tour, India will take part in marquee events such as the Asia Cup 2023 and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup at home.