After South Africa took control of the second Test in Guwahati, former India captain and chief selector Kris Srikkanth launched a new attack on India head coach Gautam Gambhir, accusing him of inconsistent team selection.  

With a dominant performance over the first three days, the tourists, who had already won the first Test in Kolkata, strengthened their hold on the series.

Srikkanth criticized Gambhir for what he described as a "chop-and-change" strategy and questioned a few of India's Test selections.

“Why isn’t Axar Patel playing? Was he unfit? He has been consistent at all levels. Why so much chopping and changing? Every alternate match, someone is making a debut. They can call it trial and error. Gautam Gambhir can say whatever he wants—I don’t care. I have been a former captain and a former chairman of selectors. I know what I’m talking about,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

Srikkanth's comments are the latest in a long-running feud with the Indian coach. Previously, he questioned the pick of pacer Harshit Rana, labelling him a "yes man to Gambhir," causing Gambhir to condemn the statements as "shameful."

This time, Srikkanth extended his critique to the entire Indian performance in Guwahati, expressing surprise that the same ground characterized by India's players as a "road" delivered a flurry of wickets for South Africa's spin and pace attack.

He praised Harmer’s classical spin approach, contrasting it pointedly with India’s own spinners.

“I don’t understand. Kuldeep Yadav said nothing was happening on the pitch. Then today we see Indians edging to slips against Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj, and also getting out to bouncers from Marco Jansen—five wickets to short balls on a supposed ‘road.’ Harmer loops it up and flights the ball. Our spinners fire it flat,” Srikkanth said.

The batting unit, including captain Rishabh Pant, was also targeted by the ex-India opener. Pant's effort to slog Jansen by charging down the track was met with a straightforward catch behind the wickets.

“They will say it’s his natural game, but he is the captain. Shouldn’t he see the match situation?” Srikkanth added.

However, Srikkanth stressed that more serious problems need to be resolved while speculating that India would still have a slim possibility of winning with a draw. 

“Wrong selection policies; you need consistency,” he concluded.

South Africa’s lead swelled close to 500 on day four as they bludgeoned runs against an insipid Indian attack in Guwahati.