Axar Patel, right, with captain Suryakumar Yadav. (AP photo) NEW DELHI: India captain Suryakumar Yadav has revealed that vice-captain Axar Patel was “very upset” after he was dropped from the playing XI during India’s victorious campaign in the 2026 Men’s World T20 Cup.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Axar, a key member of India’s white-ball set-up, was left out of two of the nine matches India played en route to a record third lift of the trophy. Both omissions came in Ahmedabad, including the crucial Super 8 clash against South Africa – a match India lost by 76 runs.The decision drew criticism from fans and pundits, while the team management insisted it was a tactical call, Suryakumar admitted the move did not sit well with Axar.
Suryakumar Yadav made a spectacular comeback after India’s victory in the T20 World Cup
“He was very upset and he should have been. He is an experienced player, he is leading a franchise. He should be upset. I apologised. I told him I made a mistake and I am sorry but it was a call for the team,” Suryakumar told The Indian Express.
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The India captain admitted that talking to the all-rounder was not easy.“It was a difficult conversation. He took it his way and we discussed it the next day,” he added.Despite the setback, Suryakumar said South Africa’s heavy defeat was a turning point in India’s campaign.“India vs South Africa was an eye opener. I never doubted this team but it tightened our screws. There was no going back after that,” he said.The captain explained that the team started treating every remaining game as a knockout.“Zimbabwe was the pre-quarter final for us. The West Indies were the quarter final. Then the semi final and the final. We had to play every match as a knockout,” added Suryakumar.India responded strongly after the loss, winning their remaining Super 8 matches before defeating England in the semi-finals and New Zealand in the final.
