While Tilak Varma top-scored with 62 off 34 balls, including five sixes, the rest of the lineup struggled. Captain Suryakumar Yadav and opener Shubman Gill flopped, scoring just 5 (4) and 0 (1), respectively. Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya contributed 21 and 20 runs, but it wasn’t enough, and Jitesh Sharma looked promising with 27 off 17. Notably, India has never chased a total above 209 in T20Is.
The team’s decision to promote Axar Patel to No. 3 and push Shivam Dube down to No. 8 drew heavy criticism from cricket experts.
Expert Reactions
Mohammad Kaif
The former India cricketer slammed the promotion of Axar Patel and the late entry of Shivam Dube, emphasizing that skipper Suryakumar Yadav should have led from the front. On his YouTube channel, Kaif said:
“You are chasing 213, and you send Axar at No. 3 while Shivam Dube comes in when only 13 balls are left. The match is practically over. Suryakumar Yadav, as captain, should have taken responsibility. Sending Axar was a defensive approach in a situation that demanded attacking cricket.”
Shaun Pollock
The former South Africa captain praised Tilak Varma but questioned why he was pushed down the order despite his consistent performances. Speaking to Cricbuzz, Pollock said:
“Tilak Varma had proven himself at No. 3, yet he was moved down. If he had gotten more balls, he could have done significant damage. The decision to promote Axar didn’t yield results.”
Aakash Chopra
Former India opener Chopra criticized the team for wasting Shivam Dube at No. 8 and promoting Axar Patel unnecessarily. On his YouTube channel, he noted:
“Chasing 214, you need a strong start. Sending Axar at No. 3 while Dube comes in so late wasn’t ideal. Axar scored 21 off 21, but the match was effectively over before Dube even got a chance.”
Robin Uthappa
Uthappa disagreed with the flexible batting approach, highlighting the need for top-order stability. He said on JioStar:
“Your best batters should walk in when chasing big totals. Flexibility has its place, but after building a foundation in the first six overs. Top three roles must be fixed.”
Dale Steyn
Former South Africa pacer Steyn described sending Axar Patel in the powerplay as “throwing him to the wolves.” On JioStar, he remarked:
“Axar can bat, but the situation demanded sending your best hitters. With Gill out early, the combination didn’t even make sense. In a match to go 2-1 up, simplicity and top-order strength were key.”
The five-match series is now tied 1-1, with the third T20I scheduled in Dharamsala on December 14. The Indian team will need to rethink its batting strategy if it hopes to take a lead in the series.
