Robin Uthappa and Dale Steyn have criticized India’s decision to field Axar Patel in the Mullanpur T20I against South Africa ahead of Suryakumar Yadav on Thursday 11 December. Uthappa felt that India were trying to protect Suryakumar, who is going through the worst form of his T20I career.
Chasing 214, India lost Shubman Gill in the first over. Instead of the Indian captain leaving, the team management sent Axar to No. 3 – a move that failed as the all-rounder tried to get going. He made 21 off 21 balls while Suryakumar managed just five and continued his lean fabric. India eventually fell and were bowled out by 51 runs as South Africa leveled the series.
The latest failure means the Indian skipper now has 201 runs in 19 matches at an average of 14.35 and a strike rate of 126.41. Speaking to television stations, Uthappa said he believed the team management was trying to “save” their captain and expressed his disapproval of India’s current flexible batting philosophy.
The former India batsman insisted that the team must have fixed roles for key players, especially in high-pressure chases.
“Well, honestly, that’s how I see it. I think he said it, and I’m just taking his word for it, right? He did a pre-series press conference where he said only the starters are set. Everyone else moves pieces and has to be super flexible. I don’t agree with that.”
“I think solid batsmen, especially when you’re chasing a big score, have to come out there. Your best batsmen have to come out there, or you decide if you send a pinch hitter, then they have to play a pinch hitter. Like if Axar came out a pinch hitter today, he shouldn’t have scored 21 off 21.”
“He should have tried. If he was going to come out as a pinch. That was the thinking. But still I don’t agree with that. I think you should send solid batting, your best batting at the top, especially when you have lost one of your premium batsmen in the first two overs. So I think there is something wrong here and before India have to catch up,” Uthapp said.
BIG MISTAKE
In 36 matches in the chase, Suryakumar scored 1019 runs at an average of 39.19 and a strike rate of 154.16. He was rated as the No.1 T20I batsman not too long ago and Steyn said it was a big mistake not to use him in his preferred position.
The South African great added that Axar lacked a clear role and echoed Uthappa’s view that the all-rounder should have batted with more intent.
“Well, trial and error, but I think he should be your best batsman. I think that’s just a big mistake and Axar, yeah, he can bat. I mean, we all can bat. But you throw him to the wolves over there and also, it was kind of like, what’s the role? Because Robbie is right there. When it all came out and I saw it, and then it was. Or when Abhishek came out first, then you want to keep the left-hander and right-handed.”
“But it was a right-hander who got out first. Now you’ve got two left-handers in there. I think there’s a lot of question marks and luckily for you guys, your coach is always in the press so they, they’re going to ask him. But I thought it was just a bit weird and maybe there’s some experimentation because South Africa are doing a similar thing where you’d play best tonight. Carry on like normal,” Steyn said.
India and South Africa will meet in the third T20I in Dharamsala on December 14.
– The end
Published on:
December 12, 2025
