Suryakumar Yadav struggles to justify Axar Patel’s No.3 move while coach offers bizarre explanation

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir have been under fire for their surprising call during the team’s massive 51-run defeat in the second T20I of the ongoing five-match T20I series against South Africa on December 11 in Mullanpur.

After South Africa leveled the T20I series 1-1 with the stunning victory in Mullanpur, Suryakumar Yadav struggled to justify one decision that played a significant role in India’s loss. They had a massive target of 214 runs to chase, but they messed things up by sending Axar Patel at No. 3.

Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir under fire after Axar Patel’s shock promotion derails India’s chase

India’s vice-captain Shubman Gill walked back for a golden duck in the very first over. At that moment, everyone expected either Suryakumar or Tilak Varma to walk in. Both have handled this role many times and know how to control an early collapse.

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But Axar came to bat. This move left everyone confused and shocked, as the situation didn’t demand it. India already had a left-hander in Abhishek Sharma at the top, and Tilak has a proven record of scoring big at No. 3 in T20Is. If the team wanted stability, Tilak was the obvious choice.

If they wanted explosive hitting, Suryakumar himself was the best option, but neither of them was used. Unfortunately, this call backfired as Axar was asked to take on a role that did not fit the match situation, and the Indian all-rounder could manage 21 runs off 21 balls, leaving them in big trouble.

Suryakumar Yadav struggles to defend Axar Patel call as South Africa levels T20I series 1-1

However, it wasn’t Axar’s fault because the situation and his batting style simply didn’t match. But the explanation behind the decision left many frustrated. It felt like India was experimenting without a clear plan despite the fact that the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is just a few months away.

It is the story of the recent T20I games, where they have been trying to stretch the batting order without understanding which player fits where. On being asked about the baffling move, the Indian captain said that they sent Axar up the order because he had batted well in the previous match and they hoped he would repeat that performance in Mullanpur.

Suryakumar Yadav said in the post-match presentation, “We just thought in the last game, we have seen Axar bat really well in the longer format. And we wanted him to bat back the same way today as well. Unfortunately, it didn’t work, but he did bat well. But we will see what's up for us going on in the next game.”

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Ryan ten Doeschate reveals why India is testing new batting combinations ahead of ICC T20 World Cup 2026

On the other hand, India's assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate explained that they are experimenting with different batting positions because they often lose three quick wickets early and need a stronger middle structure. The team is trying to find a smoother link between the openers and the hitters.

Ryan ten Doeschate said after the match, “We are trying things combination-wise; we've got eight or nine games now before the World Cup. And I guess again, being quite frank, we found ourselves being 35 three more times than we would have liked in the last couple of months.”

The coach signed off by saying, “So it's just an exploration into how we can extend the batting, you know, the link between the openers and the guys we want to come in and smash it around, maybe when things do get a little bit tricky.”