Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has criticized Indian captain Rishabh Pant’s decision to send Axar Patel ahead of Dinesh Karthik in the second T20I against New Zealand on Sunday at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.
Batting first, the Indian team was in trouble having lost four wickets for 90 runs in 12.4 overs. The management decided to send in Axar Patel at number six, holding back Dinesh Karthik. Axar managed to score only 10 runs, before getting bowled by Anrich Nortje.
Dinesh Karthik walked out to bat after the fall of Axar’s wicket. He gave India a good finish, slamming a couple of sixes in the last over. Dinesh Karthik remained unbeaten on 30 runs off 21 balls, including two boundaries and as many sixes. Speaking on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar questioned the decision to send Axar ahead of Karthik. He said,
“Sometimes there are these labels like ‘finisher’. And when you talk about a finisher you think he will come to bat only after the 15th over. He can’t come in the 12th or the 13th over. And we have seen these happen in the IPL as well. A lot of teams have only kept their big hitters for the last 4-5 overs.”
“When actually, if they had been sent earlier, because they have the ability to work things around, they don’t necessarily have to hit sixes from the time they come in. The fact that when they get to the batting area and work the ball around, they get the feel of the wicket and they can bat accordingly in the last 4-5 overs,” Gavaskar added.
Dinesh Karthik tonight:
First 16 balls – 9 runs.
Last 5 balls – 21 runs.
– DK The Finisher takes India to 148. pic.twitter.com/0L0af0sQJI
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 12, 2022
I don’t understand: Graeme Smith on Axar Patel sent ahead of Dinesh Karthik
Former South African skipper Graeme Smith too echoed Sunil Gavaskar’s thoughts. He expressed that the decision to send Axar Patel ahead of Dinesh Karthik is mind-blowing. Smith said,
“I don’t understand. When Karthik is one of the most experienced cricketers in India. Look at how many games he has played for India. Never mind the IPL. How can you send Axar Patel ahead of him? This is mind-blowing.”
India managed to put on 148 runs on the board. However, South Africa chased it down comfortably on the back of Henrich Klaasen’s 81. The visitors are leading the five-match T20I series 2-0.
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