ENG v IND 2018: Harbhajan Singh targets coach Ravi Shastri for the poor show in England by Indian team

Harbhajan Singh also uttered harsh words about 'all-rounder' Hardik Pandya.

Ravi Shastri | GETTY

Veteran cricketer Harbhajan Singh has targetted Indian cricket team coach Ravi Shastri and wants him to speak out on the fiasco of the Indian team in England.

India lost both the game in four days. The loss at Lord's was more humiliating. They lost by an innings and 159 runs on Sunday which even Indian skipper Virat Kohli was upset of.

"For us, there is no away, every game is a home game because we don't play the opponent, we play the pitch. Our job is to conquer the pitch wherever we go," the Indian coach had said before the tour commenced.

Harbhajan has gone hard against Shastri and asked him to be answerable if India loses the series. 

"The coach has to come on record, today or tomorrow he has to speak up. He is answerable to everyone. If India loses the series, then he might have to eat his words and admit that conditions do make a lot of difference," Harbhajan told Aaj Tak in an interview.

Hardik Pandya also came under fire from Harbhajan Singh | GettyThe off-spinner, who is part of commentary panel in England, is enraged by the lack of fight by the Indian team. "We haven't shown any intent to fight back. The willingness to win is missing and that is most disheartening. We are losing without posing any challenge to the opponent. It is extremely disappointing," said Harbhajan.

Pick a set of players and back them instead of trying out new names in every game, says Harbhajan.

"On foreign tours, a good opening partnership makes such a huge difference but in every match, our opening pair is getting changed. In every game, the playing eleven is getting changed. Even the middle order isn't set. At the Lord's, we had a green wicket and overcast conditions but the team management decided to play two spinners. Was it really needed?

"The hosts could have been all out for 160-170 if the third seamer in Umesh had played instead of an extra spinner."

Harbhajan also wants the all-rounder tag from Hardik Pandya to get snatched. 

"He (Pandya) hasn't got many runs as a batsman and the captain doesn't seem to have confidence in his bowling. If he doesn't bowl in these conditions then things will only get difficult for him and the Indian team in the future. We have to remove the all-rounder tag from him as an all-rounder contributes in both the departments as (Ben) Stokes, (Sam) Curran did in the first Test and now (Chris) Woakes has done at the Lord's. The same is expected of Hardik Pandya, he cannot become Kapil Dev overnight!"

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 14 Aug, 2018

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