Key points
- Sunil Gavaskar defended India’s decision to send Axar Patel ahead of KL Rahul at No. 5 in the second ODI against New Zealand.
- Gavaskar said the move was intended to make New Zealand’s bowlers adjust their lines and lengths against a left-handed batter.
- Axar scored seven runs from 17 balls before being dismissed.
- KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 26 from 38 balls and helped India through the closing stages of the chase.
- India were 113 for seven after 26 overs when rain ended the match, and won by four runs under the DLS method.
- India had bowled New Zealand out for 134 in 41 overs, with Gurnoor Brar taking four for 30.
- Gavaskar said tactical experiments can succeed or fail and should be assessed on the thinking behind them as well as the outcome.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has backed Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir over the decision to promote Axar Patel ahead of KL Rahul during the second ODI against New Zealand in Wellington. Gavaskar said there was “nothing wrong with that thought process”, explaining that the left-hander’s promotion was designed to disrupt the bowlers’ lines and lengths. The tactical move did not produce the desired runs, but Gavaskar argued that the idea itself should not be dismissed.
India sent Axar in at No. 5 during the chase, ahead of Rahul, who has regularly occupied a middle-order role. Axar managed seven from 17 deliveries, while Rahul later remained unbeaten on 26 from 38 balls as India secured a four-run win under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
Gavaskar explains the thinking behind Axar’s promotion
Speaking during a discussion on Sony Sports, Gavaskar explained that introducing a left-handed batter can force bowlers to change their established plans. A bowler operating to a right-hander may have to alter the line and length when a left-hander takes strike. That adjustment can then create scoring opportunities when the strike rotates back to a right-handed batter.
Gavaskar said the plan was a tactical option rather than a statement that Axar was a better specialist batter than Rahul. He also pointed to the fact that Rahul was still available lower down the order, giving India a recognised batter to handle the later phase of the chase.
The former opener noted that the same decision might have been praised as clever captaincy if Axar had scored quickly. Since he did not, the promotion became a talking point. Gavaskar’s defence was that limited-overs teams sometimes need to experiment with batting positions, and that a failed outcome does not automatically make the original reasoning wrong.
Axar’s brief stay and Rahul’s steady finish
Axar’s seven off 17 balls meant India did not get the acceleration or disruption the team may have hoped for from the promotion. His dismissal left India needing a substantial contribution from the remaining recognised batters in a chase that had already become tense after early wickets.
Rahul responded with an unbeaten 26 from 38 deliveries. Gavaskar praised the wicketkeeper-batter’s balance between defence and controlled aggression, noting that he played with a straight bat and soft hands while taking advantage of the shorter square-leg boundary. Rahul struck two fours and two sixes in his innings.
Rahul also shared useful partnerships during the recovery. He added 39 runs for the fifth wicket with Shreyas Iyer, who scored 30, and another 22 for the sixth wicket with Naman Dhir, who made 12. India had been reduced to 47 for four after Axar’s dismissal, making the lower-order resistance important to the final result.
India win a rain-affected contest in Wellington
Earlier, India’s bowlers had restricted New Zealand to 134 in 41 overs. Gurnoor Brar led the attack with four wickets for 30 runs, while Auqib Nabi, Anshul Kamboj and Axar Patel claimed two wickets each. Daryl Mitchell top-scored for New Zealand with 55, but the hosts were unable to build a larger total.
India’s reply began poorly as Jacob Duffy dismissed Gill for a golden duck and then removed Virat Kohli. New Zealand continued to apply pressure, and India were seven wickets down when rain interrupted the contest. At 113 for seven after 26 overs, India were declared winners by four runs under the DLS method.
A tactical debate, not just a batting-order question
The decision to send Axar ahead of Rahul reflects the flexibility teams seek in modern one-day cricket. A left-right combination can alter a bowler’s rhythm, and a promotion can be used to exploit a particular match-up or boundary dimension. Such decisions carry risk, especially when a team is chasing under pressure and a specialist batter is held back.
Gavaskar’s comments offered support to the leadership group while acknowledging that the experiment did not succeed on this occasion. His assessment also placed value on Rahul’s contribution, which helped India navigate the closing stages. The match therefore provided both sides of the debate: the tactical idea failed to deliver through Axar, but Rahul’s presence later in the order helped India complete the chase.
India’s narrow victory gave them a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The team will now look to retain the flexibility Gavaskar defended while producing a more convincing batting display in the remaining matches.
Frequently asked questions
Why did India send Axar Patel ahead of KL Rahul in the second ODI?
India promoted Axar Patel to use a left-handed batter against New Zealand’s bowling attack. Sunil Gavaskar explained that the change could force bowlers to adjust their lines and lengths, potentially creating scoring opportunities when the strike returned to a right-hander.
What did Sunil Gavaskar say about the Axar Patel experiment?
Gavaskar said there was nothing wrong with the thinking behind the decision. He argued that such tactical moves sometimes work and sometimes do not, and that the idea might have been praised if Axar had scored quickly. He defended the reasoning despite the outcome.
How many runs did Axar Patel and KL Rahul score in the second ODI?
Axar Patel scored seven runs from 17 balls after batting at No. 5. KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 26 from 38 deliveries, hitting two fours and two sixes as India completed their rain-affected chase.
How did India beat New Zealand in the second ODI?
India bowled New Zealand out for 134 in 41 overs, with Gurnoor Brar taking four wickets for 30 runs. India were 113 for seven after 26 overs when rain stopped play and won by four runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
Who impressed Sunil Gavaskar most among India’s batters in Wellington?
Gavaskar identified KL Rahul as the Indian batter who impressed him most. He praised Rahul’s controlled approach, straight-bat technique and ability to find boundaries when required. Rahul’s unbeaten 26 helped India manage a difficult chase after the team had lost early wickets.