India vs West Indies: Venkatesh Prasad slams Hardik Pandya and Dravid

India vs West Indies: India failed to defend a target of 166 runs in the final T20I of the 5-match series. This is India first T20 series loss to West Indies since 2017. India vs West Indies: Venkatesh Prasad slams Hardik Pandya and Dravid. Team India were handed a shellacking on Sunday at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground, Lauderhill, Florida.

All the talk about the team standing on verge of a sensational and historic come-from-behind T20I series win against West Indies was shattered as the hosts scripted an emphatic eight-wicket win their first ever bilateral contest win against the Men in Blue.

Following the shocking defeat, former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad savaged captain Hardik Pandya and head coach Rahul Dravid for the “ordinary” performance in white-ball cricket and making poor strategic calls during the series.

Moments after the series defeat, Venkatesh reiterated his “very ordinary limited-overs side” remark which he had made after India went 0-2 down in the series against West Indies highlighting the team’s performance in the ODI series as well and the loss against Bangladesh in the 50-over format last year.

“India has been a very ordinary limited overs side for some time 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,” he tweeted. The former India bowling coach revealed that more than the defeats, what has hurt him more has the way the team management has dealt with the situation.

He feels that the “fire and hunger” for wins has been missing from the present Indian white-ball team which now heads towards the Asia Cup, followed by the ODI World Cup. When asked about captain Hardik and head coach Dravid, Prasad did not mince words to opine that they have been “responsible for the debacle”.

He said: “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. India needs to improve their skillset. There is a hunger & intensity deficiency & often the captain looked clueless. Bowlers 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.”

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