Head coach Gautam Gambhir’s flexible style of white-ball cricket has drawn criticism from former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan, who cautions that it might make players feel insecure.

Regarding India’s Twenty20 International series against England, captain Suryakumar Yadav batted third, with Tilak Varma taking over at number two. The ‘flexibility’ with which Suryakumar restored his position in the third game pleased Zaheer.

In the meanwhile, there have been major changes to the ODI structure, including a reorganization of the opening partnership. In the first ODI against England, Yashasvi Jaiswal initially paired with Rohit Sharma at the top, a decision that Shreyas Iyer subsequently described as a calculated tactic.

However, Jaiswal was removed from the starting lineup and Shubman Gill was elevated to open with Rohit when Virat Kohli made his comeback for the second ODI after missing the first.

According to Zaheer, flexibility is crucial, but it must be used in accordance with precise rules to maintain team cohesion.

“You said that you need to be adaptable. While the first and second will be present, the others will be adaptable. Certain restrictions also apply within that flexibility. You must adhere to particular procedures. There must be some communication in order to streamline things. If you don’t, you are fostering insecurity that will eventually come back to haunt you. That is not what you want to happen. Therefore, you must be ready to handle such a circumstance,” Zaheer told Cricbuzz.

According to the former bowler, Gambhir’s method of working requires a very clear understanding between the coach, captain, selectors, and players.

“For this reason, I said that recency bias is a powerful phenomenon at the moment. If you compare the strategies of Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir, the scenario has changed. You may call it ugly, horrible, or good, or you could ask how we adjust. Everyone is a part of this system, whether they are the players, the selectors, the think tank, or top management. For the wheel to revolve correctly, they will need to measure it and simplify the whole system,” Zaheer said.

India has a wonderful opportunity to test their bench strength while striking a balance between stability and innovation since they have already won the series 2-0.