Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh has expressed concern over the Indian cricket team's unexpected dip in red-ball and ODI formats following their T20 World Cup victory in Barbados under Rohit Sharma's leadership and Rahul Dravid’s guidance.

Harbhajan underlined the team's shortcomings, notably in Tests, and asked the management to prioritize performance above reputation when selecting players.

Since Gautam Gambhir took over as India's head coach, India lost an ODI series to Sri Lanka after 27 years, got whitewashed at home in a three-Test series to New Zealand, and now have suffereda  1-3 series loss to Australia in BGT 2024-25 series.

"Everything was fine till Rahul Dravid was there. India won the World Cup, and everything was fine. But what happened suddenly?" Harbhajan questioned on his YouTube channel.

He observed that, while the team maintained its supremacy in T20Is, its performances in Tests and ODIs were erratic.

Harbhajan said, "In the past six months, we lost to Sri Lanka, a series whitewash against New Zealand, and now a 3-1 defeat in Australia. Everything seems to have fallen apart."

Senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have faced criticism for their underwhelming performances in the Australia series. Kohli scored only 190 runs at an average of 23.75 in eight innings. Rohit scored just 31 runs in three Tests.  

Harbhajan urged that management shift away from the "superstar attitude" and focus on form and potential.

"Every player has a reputation. If this is the thing, then add Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, or those who have been India's biggest match-winners. BCCI and selectors should take hold. India should leave behind the superstar attitude," he said.

Harbhajan Singh was critical of the lack of opportunities to benched players like Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran.

"Abhimanyu Easwaran was taken on tour, but he didn't play. He can become a player for India if he is given the opportunity. Sarfaraz is the same case. The player who performs should go [to England]. You should not pick players on reputation," Harbhajan added.  

With no immediate Test matches before the seven-month trip to England, Harbhajan believes India will have time to reflect and rebuild. He urged the BCCI and selectors to implement performance-based choices and take decisive action to get the team back on track.

"The ball is in the selectors’ court now. They have to decide," Harbhajan concluded.