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Tactical mastermind or favouritism at play? Gautam Gambhir's team selection raises eyebrows after MCG upset thumbnail

Tactical mastermind or favouritism at play? Gautam Gambhir’s team selection raises eyebrows after MCG upset

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Gautam Gambhir’s batting-order shuffle at the MCG has sparked a major debate among fans and experts. Was it tactical brilliance or plain favouritism? As India fell short against Australia, questions mount over Gambhir’s strategy, player choices, and team balance.

general Tactical mastermind or favouritism at play? Gautam Gambhir's team selection raises eyebrows after MCG upset

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India’s tour of Australia was supposed to prep them for the 2026 T20 World Cup. But after the first two games, things seem messy. From who they’re picking to where they’re batting them, the coaches don’t seem to know what to do with their players. In the Asia Cup 2025, India played with two fast bowlers and three spinners. It worked okay on the slow pitches there, especially with Hardik Pandya in the lineup. But they’re doing the same thing in Australia, even without Pandya.

If they stick with this setup, two problems come up. First, they’re relying too much on Harshit Rana, who isn’t a finished T20 bowler yet. Second, they’re using up Jasprit Bumrah’s overs early, which leaves the final overs open for good hitters to take advantage of.

Sanju Samson is good at hitting over the fielders early in the innings. But India wants to bat him in the middle order to make room for Shubman Gill, the vice-captain. This seems to be messing up Samson’s game as he looks unsure of his role and is finding it hard to score in the middle overs.

India could think about dropping Gill and putting Samson at the top, but that probably won’t happen since Gill is a leader in the team. If Samson isn’t opening, India should think about using someone like Jitesh Sharma, who can hit well down the order.

A lot of fans and experts were shocked when Harshit Rana came out to bat before Shivam Dube in Melbourne. Rana is supposed to be a bowler who can bat a bit, and it looked like the coaches were trying hard to justify picking him.

Rana scored 35 runs off 33 balls under pressure. But he kept Abhishek Sharma from getting the strike. He’s a bowler who can bat, so people expect him to get wickets with the new ball too. But when India was defending 125, Rana gave up 27 runs in two overs. That let Australia win the game easily.

The team looks good overall, and their attacking style of play is nice to watch, but some of their decisions are confusing fans. With the World Cup coming up soon, it would be smarter to find a good lineup and stick with it, instead of trying out new things and moving players around.

ALSO READ| ‘Blatant favouritism’: Fans slam Gautam Gambhir for dropping Arshdeep Singh for Harshit Rana in IND vs AUS 2nd T20I

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