Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin says the Indian team must cut down on experiments and focus on winning matches.
"Maybe the experiments are affecting the team. I feel, in a 50-over game, the best batsmen in the team should bat at the top five or six slots. In our last match [against Australia] we saw [Mahendra Singh] Dhoni came in at number seven and got only five or six overs to play, hence could not score many runs," Azharuddin said, in Mumbai on Thursday.
"The team seems to have lost their direction somewhat in the last two years. The best attacking players should get majority of the overs and not the last few overs. If the best batsmen only get a few overs to bat in the end, then I don't think it is a good strategy. The players in our team are very talented, but if they are not given the responsibility then they don't perform," he added.
Azharuddin was India's most successful captain before he was banned in 1999 for his alleged role in the match-fixing episode. He played 99 Tests and 334 one-day internationals.
The 43-year-old said even World champions Australian experiment, but not much as the current Indian team.
"The Australian team doesn't experiment that much. In the tri-series in Malaysia they did try a few new players, but, overall, they don't experiment too much to make sure that it doesn't affect the team.
"When you are winning then experiments are not a problem, but the real problem begins when you start losing. It also changes the public perception and puts unnecessary pressure on the players too," he added.
He also believes that team selection has not been up to the mark recently.
"I feel the team selection has also not been correct recently. In the last match [against Australia], the wickets were low and bouncy; so they should have played two spinners. In Indian conditions you should always play two spinners because the wickets are low and turning," he opined.
He believes that batsmen will have to take responsibility to deliver in South Africa.
"In South Africa, you have to play well consistently because the wickets there bounce a bit more. I don't know how the wickets behave now, but I am sure the wickets will be bowler-friendly.
"We have got a few good fast bowlers. If the batsmen give good starts, the bowlers do well and the team selection is good, then I think it wont be that difficult for the team," he said.
Azharuddin also welcomed the move to include veteran spinner Anil Kumble in the one-day squad.
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