Former India captain rubbishes claims of Axar Patel batting ahead of Suryakumar Yadav in the third ODI against Australia
The ODI series between India and Australia is tied at 1-1.
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Mar 22, 2023 12:46 pm
Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel (Source: Twitter)
Suryakumar Yadav had not still been able to find the missing piece of the puzzle in ODI cricket. Suryakumar has scored 443 runs with an average of 25.47 and at a strike rate of 102.36. The Mumbai batter has not been able to score the big runs against Australia and has got out to back-to-back ducks off Mitchel Starc in the ODI series against Australia.
The bright spot for the Men in Blue amidst a startling batting collapse in Visakhapatnam was Axar Patel. The left-handed batter scored an unbeaten 29 no out in the second ODI and also slammed Starc for two sixes which was the highlight of his innings. A fan on Cricbuzz to Ajay Jadeja asked whether promoting Axar ahead of a regular batter on current form would work. Jadeja refused that suggestion straightaway.
If an early wicket falls, KL Rahul might go ahead of Suryakumar Yadav in the Third ODI – Ajay Jadeja
“If an early wicket goes down, you may see a batting promotion but it won’t be Axar Patel. It is easy for us to say, but the man running the show has to handle a lot – look after the players and take in certain pressures. At max, we will see one change. If India go 20/2 again, I have no doubt that the management and the captain, KL Rahul will come at 4 and Suryakumar Yadav at 5. No doubt Axar Patel has been playing well – he is probably batting the best – but sending him ahead of Hardik Pandya? Don’t think that is going to happen,” Jadeja said on Cricbuzz.
“For many years, there have been batters playing ahead and that will continue. A batter who has gotten 2 ducks, if you push him down, it will hurt his confidence. But like I said, if an early wicket falls, you will see KL Rahul ahead because earlier when he wasn’t in form, he was dropped from the Test playing XI, and now that he has, he will get a chance,” Jadeja outlined the Indian Team’s strategy.
India won the first ODI in Mumbai by 5 wickets in a low scoring encounter. Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul saved India with a partnership of an unbeaten 150 for the sixth wicket. In the second ODI, Australia came back roaring with a 10-wicket victory at Vizag. The series is nicely set-up for the decider in Chennai.
