Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has questioned the team management’s decision to bench vice-captain Axar Patel for the critical T20 World Cup Super 8 clash against South Africa. Ashwin argued that the obsession with "match-ups" over team stability contributed to India’s crushing 76-run defeat in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
The management’s choice to persist with Washington Sundar; justified by his favorable match-up against South Africa’s left-handers, yielded poor returns as the Men in Blue failed to defend their unbeaten streak. Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat, warned that franchise-style recruitment logic does not always translate to the high-pressure environment of an ICC campaign.
In an ICC tournament, you cannot manage a side like a franchise. Stability is the currency of world-class teams. You don't bench your vice-captain and most valuable player based on a single statistical match-up when the stakes are this high.R Ashwin
India’s tactical pivot centered on deploying Sundar specifically to neutralize the Proteas' left-handed heavy hitters. However, Sundar went wicketless, conceding 17 runs in his two overs, and struggled to provide the necessary lower-order spark, scoring just 11 runs after being promoted to No. 5 ahead of Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya.
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. I agree 100 per cent that you have to use Washington Sundar against left-handers... but Axar Patel has been your MVP in T20 cricket.R Ashwin
Ashwin made a pointed reference to the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where Patel’s poise under pressure against the same opposition helped India secure the title. In that fixture, Patel’s partnership with Virat Kohli stabilized a wobbling innings, eventually pushing India past the 170-mark.
“Axar is not inferior,” Ashwin stated. “If India had a few wickets in hand and stability in the middle overs, they would have chased the target down.” Patel was first rested during a low-stakes game against the Netherlands but was unexpectedly overlooked for the Super 8 opener in his home state of Gujarat.
Decision: Vice-captain Axar Patel benched for a second consecutive game.
Sundar’s stats: 0/17 (2.0 overs) and 11 runs off 14 balls at No. 5.
Margin: 76-run defeat, India's heaviest by runs in T20 World Cup history.
Historical context: Axar Patel was the 2024 T20 World Cup MVP and a key contributor in the Bridgetown final.
The fallout from the Ahmedabad defeat leaves India’s semi-final hopes hanging in the balance. The lack of middle-order stability and the failure of the "match-up" gamble have intensified the scrutiny on captain Suryakumar Yadav and the coaching staff.
The focus now shifts to the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where India will face an unbeaten Zimbabwe on Thursday. On a surface known for aiding spin, the pressure to reinstate Patel; both as a primary spinner and a reliable middle-order player, will be immense as India enters a "must-win" phase of their title defense.