While much of the cricketing world has focused on the batting heroics of Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, and Virat Kohli, former Pakistan internationals Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal have directed their attention toward the tactical failures of the Indian leadership. The duo blamed the decision-making of skipper Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir for India’s first-ever home ODI series defeat at the hands of New Zealand.
The Shan Masood Comparison
Appearing on the show ‘The Game Plan’, Basit Ali was particularly cutting in his assessment of Gill’s leadership style, drawing a parallel to the struggles of the Pakistan national team. “Yeh to Shan Masood wali captaincy ki hai Gill ne,” Basit remarked, referencing the Indian captain’s choice to prioritize medium pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy over his specialist spin duo, Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja.
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Basit suggested that Gill lacked independence on the field, stating, “You shouldn’t go by messages being conveyed from outside. I would tell him: ‘school me jao aur kaptani seekh kar aao (go to school and learn captaincy).’”
Specialist Bowlers Sidelined
Kamran Akmal echoed these sentiments, arguing that Gill failed to seize the momentum after early wickets. “A captain has to control the game. When you have got early wickets, you need to bring your specialist bowlers in the attack. If they had got another wicket at that stage, New Zealand wouldn’t have scored more than 225-250 runs,” Akmal noted. He further observed that “Gill’s mind doesn’t seem to be working in captaincy.”
The statistics supported their frustration. Akmal pointed out that while Harshit Rana leaked 84 runs in his full 10 overs, Kuldeep and Jadeja were restricted to just six overs each. In contrast, New Zealand’s specialist spinner completed a full 10-over spell. Basit Ali went as far as to suggest that the lack of confidence shown in Jadeja might signify that this was the veteran’s “last match.”
Coaching Errors and the “Babar Azam Mistake”
The criticism extended to head coach Gautam Gambhir, specifically regarding his rigid adherence to tactical theories. Basit questioned why Gambhir, known for his love of the left-right combination, did not promote Jadeja ahead of Nitish Kumar Reddy when left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox was bowling. Lennox eventually finished with figures of 2 for 42 in his debut.
Akmal compared Gill’s early appointment to a familiar error in Pakistan cricket. “This is the same mistake that Pakistan made when they made Babar Azam the captain in 2018,” Akmal said, suggesting Gill should have remained Rohit Sharma’s deputy to learn the role properly until the 2027 World Cup.
The Winning Formula
Regarding the unsuccessful chase of 338, Basit Ali argued that the late runs from Reddy and Rana were inconsequential because the top order failed to build a foundation. “If India had to win, Rohit Sharma had to bat for at least 10 overs, and Kohli would have taken over after that. The runs from Reddy and Rana didn’t result in a win, because the base has to be made from the top,” Basit explained.
Ultimately, the former cricketers noted that New Zealand has evolved into a persistent “headache” for India across all formats and ICC events, consistently exploiting tactical rigidities in the Indian camp.