Former Indian cricketer Kris Srikkanth seems baffled with KL Rahul's demotion in the batting order in the ODI series against England. For the last two ODIs, KL has been batting at 6, getting minimal chances to score for India. And this has annoyed Srikkanth. Srikkanth, who happened to be the former Indian selector, has criticized this move from head coach Gautam Gambhir, calling it an unfair attitude towards KL Rahul. KL Rahul has been a silent player for the team, shifting up and down the order without questions. However, for the last few years, he had established himself as a dominant batter at number 5 in the ODIs with an average crossing 57. However, bringing Axar Patel at 5 has cursed KL's abilities; at least that's what critics feel. Even though there is not much to question on Axar's batting abilities, promoting a bowling all-rounder over a specialist batter just for an obsession over a left-right combination has caught the eyes of many. Srikkanth argued that Rahul's proven track record should not be overlooked for the sake of strategy. He said, "Shreyas Iyer is in good form, which is a positive for India. But I feel for KL Rahul; it’s very unfortunate. Yes, Axar Patel is scoring 30s and 40s, but what they are doing with KL Rahul is not fair. Look at his record; he has excelled at No. 5, with a brilliant record. I don’t know what the team management is thinking regarding his position. If he bats at No. 6 or 7, he ends up scoring 6 or 7. It’s unfair. Hey, Gambhir, what you are doing is not right. Yes, depending on the situation, India can send Axar at No. 5, but it cannot be a consistent strategy. If you keep making such changes, you know what will happen—there will be a crucial match where everything falls apart. That’s what worries me. You can’t justify it by talking about the left-right combination. Does that mean you don’t care about a left-right combination in the top four? Why does it only matter at No. 5? I have no issue with Axar Patel—he is making the most of his chances. But if you’re pushing Rahul down the order, then play Rishabh Pant at No. 6. Why undermine Rahul’s confidence?" Read also: Kane Williamson Breaks ODI Record, Surpasses Virat Kohli The Rishabh Pant Dilemma Apart from questioning Rahul’s demotion, Srikkanth also raised concerns about Rishabh Pant’s exclusion from the playing XI. Pant, named as a backup wicketkeeper for the series and the upcoming Champions Trophy, has not featured in the first two matches. With Rahul struggling at No. 6, Srikkanth suggested that India should either restore him to his original position or give Pant a chance. Srikkanth asked, "Now, what you’ve done is you’ve sidelined Rishabh Pant as well. One of them has to play. I have a feeling Pant will feature in the third ODI and then in the Champions Trophy too. Rahul might end up warming the bench again. You should play your best player at No. 5, regardless of whether he is left-handed or right-handed." He believes Gambhir's preference for multi-skilled players like Axar Patel is making it difficult for Pant to find a place in the team.