"We can't become local trains" - Irfan Pathan's big statement on Men in Blue losing AUS vs IND 2025 ODI series

After the ODI series loss to Australia, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has stressed the need for players coming after long breaks to get some game time under their belt. Pathan said the Men in Blue cannot become "local trains" and have to become express ones from the outset.

India's batting has struggled in both matches in the face of Australia's relentless bowling. The tourists showed marked improvement in the second game in Adelaide, scoring 264, but it wasn't enough, as Australia sneaked over the finish line.

Speaking in his recent YouTube video, Irfan Pathan said India were playing a catch-up game due to their lack of adaptability to the conditions. He said (4:54):

"It's a game of margins. India have done well compared to the first game. But it's true we were not good enough and players must play some games after a long break. We don't want to become local trains, have to be Shatabdi, Rajdhani, Vande Bharat trains. We can't become local trains; hence, we end up playing catch up. We can't lose the first one-day every time, thinking we can win the second. We are now behind 0-2."

Pathan added that Australia's win was quite comfortable despite some late wickets. He also underlined that Kuldeep Yadav would have worked well on the Adelaide surface, elaborating (3:37):

"If you look at it overall, where did it go wrong? More runs were required. You would have thought the match was close but Australia were quite comfortable. Cooper Connolly was playing easily, wickets fell but Australia still won comfortably. But if you had a wrist-spinner in Kuldeep Yadav in the middle overs, it would have been good. I understand the need for batting depth because at least three players are coming on the back of not playing regular cricket, so you don't know their form. So, batting depth is required."

Axar Patel took one scalp and Washington Sundar took two, while Australian spinner Adam Zampa snared four on that surface.

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"He was ready to struggle" - Irfan Pathan on Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma showed a semblance of returning to form. (Credits: Getty)

Pathan felt Rohit Sharma's hard-fought knock of 73 was one of the positives that India can take out of the defeat, given he was ready to do the graft the surface required. Despite it not being a free-flowing knock, Pathan reckons it would have given Rohit plenty of relief. In the same video, the former player said (2:04):

"What were the positives for India? 2 of them I would say. Rohit Sharma's innings. Even though this was a struggling innings, he would have been relieved. He was ready to struggle and displayed fitness. He was about to get run-out on one occasion and got the benefit of working on his fitness. But he didn't move away from his plan even after that struggle."

"Rohit has played with 130+ strike rate in recent times in the powerplay but it was around 50 even after playing 60 balls. He was ready to struggle there and it would give him relief. Fans would have wanted Rohit to play a more free-flowing knock but this innings would give him relief," he added.

Pathan further said Shreyas Iyer reasserted his importance for India in ODIs with a measured 77-ball 61 knock. He remarked (2:59):

"Also Shreyas Iyer. It seemed in Perth he was going outside leg stump. But here, he was covering the leg-stump line, focusing on initial movement and a very good knock. Once again Shreyas Iyer showed how important he is for India in one-day cricket. If Harshit Rana's innings hadn't come with Arshdeep Singh, even 250 wouldn't have been the target. Harshit showed he can bat. With the ball, the way he dismissed the second opener, he showed the potential to take wickets."

Shreyas and Rohit stitched a huge 118-run stand to give India a fighting total of 264/9.