Dropping vice-captain Axar from playing XI comes back to haunt Men in Blue during 76-run thrashing by South Africa; former players slam management and selectors for leaving out left-arm spin bowling all-rounder after his replacement Washington Sundar proves to be ineffective
India vice-captain Axar Patel in Ahmedabad recently. Pic/Getty Images
Former India players have lashed out at the Indian team management’s decision to bench vice-captain and left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Axar Patel for Washington Sundar in the high-stakes Super Eights clash against South Africa here on Sunday, after the move backfired miserably.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav termed Axar’s omission a “tactical move” at the toss, citing match-ups. However, India’s embarrassing 76-run defeat, and offie Sundar’s ineffective 0-17 in two overs and 11 runs with the bat, have brought Axar’s worth in focus.
Axar claimed six wickets in the first three group matches at an impressive economy rate of 6.63 after being “rested” for the last group game against the Netherlands last week.
Washington Sundar
Axar is your MVP: Ashwin
Former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests with 537 scalps, referred to Axar as Team India’s MVP (most valuable player). “The IPL is good for match-ups, but in ICC campaigns, the more stable you can keep the team, the better. I agree 100 per cent that you have to use
Washington Sundar against left-handers, but Axar Patel has been your MVP in T20 cricket. Let’s not forget what Axar has done,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, Ash ki Baat.
Chopra questions vice-captaincy
Former India opener Aakash Chopra also questioned the message behind the move, especially given Axar’s vice-captain post. “You have appointed Axar the vice-captain. If he is your team’s vice-captain, why isn’t he a part of the team? You needn’t have made him the vice-captain,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel, emphasising how SA persisted with their left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (3-24) despite India fielding several left-handers.
Former India skipper Ajinkya Rahane said Axar’s omission is an outcome of selection becoming too smart. “I’m really surprised that Axar Patel didn’t play. I don’t understand what’s happening. Washington is a quality player; nobody is against him, but Axar has been doing so well in different situations. Sometimes I feel that when you become too smart, selection-wise, it can hamper you,” Rahane, who has scored 375 runs in 20 T20Is, said on Cricbuzz.
It may be recalled that Axar played a crucial role with the bat in the 2024 T20 World Cup final vs SA, scoring a vital 47 off 31 balls to help India post a match-winning 176-7 in Barbados.
R Ashwin, Aakash Chopra and Ajinkya Rahane
Coaches defend decision
India’s coaches, however, have defended the move to drop Axar. “We were looking at match-ups in the middle. We felt we needed Rinku as an eighth batter. The decision was based on that. It’s not to take anything away from Axar and his leadership and how important he is to the team,” assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said at the post-match press conference.
Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak revealed that both head coach Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar had explained the reasoning to Axar. “The reason to play Washy was that they had three left-handers in the top five. The actual plan was to bowl Washy inside the Powerplay, but that can change as per the match situation,” Kotak said at the ICC Mixed Zone.
3-23
Axar Patel’s figures in the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final against England, which earned him the Player of the Match award
One
Axar Patel is the only Indian all-rounder to score more than 3500 runs (3516) and take over 250 wickets (265) in T20s
47
No. of runs scored by Axar Patel in the 2024 T20 World Cup final at a strike-rate of 151.61
10
No. of wickets claimed by Axar Patel in five T20Is this year
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