'Having overrated cricketers...': Kris Srikkanth feels after Virat Kohli's Test captaincy era, team has underperformed

NEW DELHI: Former Indian opener Kris Srikkanth lambasted the Indian Test team, labelling them an overrated side in the longest format as they have performed below-par in the recent past while deserving candidates have been cooling their heels in the dressing room.
India fell to an innings defeat in Centurion in the first Test and are playing their second and final Test of the South Africa series in Cape Town starting Wednesday, hoping to win it so they can eke out a draw against their opponents.


The former Indian captain remarked that India showcased strength in Test cricket during the 2-4 years of Virat Kohli's captaincy. However, he went on to suggest that the team has been relying solely on the reputation of past achievements since then.
"Test cricket, we are overrated. I think it was a phase of 2-3 years where we were outstanding when Virat Kohli was the captain of the team. We dominated in England, we fought hard in South Africa, we won in Australia," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
Srikkanth also emphasized the need for India to overlook the ICC rankings, asserting that numerous players in the Indian team are overrated. He argued that quality players are currently sidelined, sitting outside the Test team.
"We have to forget the ICC rankings. We are always 1-2, 1-2. It's a combination of having overrated cricketers and people who have not performed up to their potential. Or there are players who do not have enough chances, like Kuldeep (Yadav)," Srikkanth said.
Sharing his views on one-day cricket and T20Is, Srikkanth feels Team India is a gun side in ODIs regardless of where they play. But in the shortest format, we are highly overrated.
"In T20 cricket India are highly overrated. ODI cricket, we are a fantastic team. What happens in ODIs, in the semi-finals, finals, it's just a one-off match. It's a luck factor, a lot depends on luck in these matches. I read Rohit Sharma's statement, for a cricketer; the 50-over World Cup is a huge achievement. We are sometimes underperforming in the knockout matches, in the semifinals and the final. But we are a gun side in ODIs. Regardless of where we play, be it India, Australia or South Africa, we are a gun side," Srikkanth said.