Amid India's struggles in the T20I format on the tour of UK, former BCCI chief selector Kris Srikkanth has called KL for Rahul’s inclusion in the side.

While the Men in Blue suffered a humiliating 0-2 series defeat to Ireland, they failed to register a victory in four completed games against England.

India’s young batting unit struggled in both series, failing to counter the extra bounce generated by the opposition fast bowlers, prompting many experts and former cricketers to push for Rahul and Shubman Gill’s return to the T20I fold.

Srikkanth also joined the bandwagon, specifically throwing his weight behind Rahul, who last played a T20 match for India in November 2022. He was sidelined from the shortest format due to selectors' concerns over his strike rate and the team's shift toward an ultra-aggressive batting approach.

"KL Rahul has to be added to the Indian T20I team for sure in these conditions. But Gill was given a good run and had a string of low scores. So Gill had his opportunities and was removed only after he failed. Whereas KL Rahul is not being given the opportunity at all. They've planned it in such a way he'll only play Tests and ODIs. His T20 record is excellent and he can play on any kind of wicket," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

"The Indian batting are destructive only on flat pitches. Even in the T20 World Cup, they were shut out on a slightly lively wicket against South Africa. Then they immediately got scared and asked for placid tracks. Even in Lucknow in the IPL, the Indian batters struggled because of the pitches. The Indian batters need to practice against a wet tennis ball to get adept at playing pace and bounce," he added.

Srikkanth also questioned Washington Sundar's T20I credentials, slamming the Gautam Gambhir-led team management for persisting with him. He argued that Sundar lacks the hitting ability and bowling penetration required for white-ball cricket.

"Sundar is playing with no hands or legs. He batted terribly and bowling goes without saying. His bowling is absolutely finished. I don't know what role Gautam Gambhir has given him because he's Gambhir's favorite. He's okay only for Test cricket. In T20s, he doesn't deserve a spot. Sundar can neither strike big against pace nor spin. The opposition batters are waiting for Sundar's bowling as they know it's a guarantee 15 runs at a minimum," Srikkanth remarked.