India's Tactical Tussle: Axar Patel's Benching Sparks Debate

In a surprising move, India benched vice-captain Axar Patel in favor of Washington Sundar for a match against South Africa, raising questions about team hierarchy. Coaches justified the decision as strategic, emphasizing match-ups with South Africa's left-handers. However, the loss and minimal impact of Sundar led to scrutiny over selection choices.

India's choice to bench vice-captain Axar Patel in their crucial Super Eight match against South Africa has ignited discussions regarding internal team dynamics. The decision, explained by assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate as purely tactical, has raised eyebrows following India's 76-run defeat.

Batting coach Sitanshu Kotak noted that the reasoning for choosing Washington Sundar over Patel was strategic, citing South Africa's lineup, which included three left-handed batsmen. The coaches assured that the decision did not reflect any diminished role for Patel within the squad.

While the move was intended to leverage Sundar's off-spin against left-handers, key dismissals by Bumrah altered match plans. Despite the controversy, Ten Doeschate emphasized that such selection challenges are routine in tournament settings, urging focus on future matches.

(With inputs from agencies.)