Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin couldn’t understand the rationale behind dropping Axar Patel for the crucial T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s tie against South Africa on Sunday. The team management decided to stick with Washington Sundar in the playing XI owing to his favourable match-up against the left-handers. However, the 26-year-old wasn’t able to do anything substantial in the game, conceding 17 runs in the two overs he bowled. He was all the more disappointing with the bat, scoring just 11 runs despite coming at No.5, ahead of Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube.
After India’s 76-run defeat against South Africa, Ashwin stated that while match-up chatter can be useful when discussing the Indian Premier League (IPL), it is not true in international cricket, where every team should aim to maintain consistency and have a stable playing XI.
He also labelled Axar as the true MVP of the Indian team in T20Is, saying one shouldn’t forget what he has done for the side against all odds.
“I agree that the IPL is good for match-ups, but you have to change the team because you are going to play 14 games. But in such ICC campaigns, the more stable you can keep the team, the better,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.
“I agree 100 per cent that you have to use Washington Sundar against left-handers; you have to play him, I agree with all that. But Axar Patel has been your MVP in T20 cricket. Let’s not forget what Axar Patel has done,” he added.
‘Axar is not inferior’
Making a case for Axar’s selection, Ashwin said that the left-handed batter had played a crucial knock in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, and it was he who stitched together a crucial partnership with Virat Kohli and also took on the mantle of being the more aggressive batter.
“In the previous World Cup, in the situation against South Africa, in which India was in the chase, Axar Patel came in under the same circumstances. He stitched a partnership with Virat Kohli, and India crossed 170. Of course, Kohli’s experience was there, but Axar is not inferior. If India had a few wickets in hand and stability in the middle overs, they would have chased the target down,” said Ashwin.
Axar, the Indian vice-captain, was first rested for the match against the Netherlands and then overlooked for the Super 8s clash against the Proteas in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
With the loss on Sunday, India’s road to the semi-final has become even trickier. The side will next take on Zimbabwe on Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
