India batters put in a great show in the first T20I match against Sri Lanka on Saturday, 28 July. India scored a huge total of 213 runs in the first game, which they eventually won by 43 runs as well. Openers Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal provided India a solid start and then Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant did exceptionally well. Pant, who had batted at No. 3 in the most of the games in T20 World Cup 2024 was dropped down to No. 4 in the first T20I game vs Sri Lanka as India captain Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat in the position and did well. And, India all-rounder Axar Patel opined on this.
“Our team has four lefties and four righties. If there is a left-right combination (in the middle), it becomes very hard for the bowlers to maintain the line and lengths consistently especially with rotations with singles. Now if there are four lefties, how can you use them? If you have that chance (to ensure) that there are no two lefties or two righties (in the middle) at the same time,” Axar Patel said in the press conference. “If you have that chance, if you have those players in batting, then why not use them? You also have to keep changing the batting order as per the bowling options that the opposition has got.”
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The all-rounder also praised the message of the new support staff for the Sri Lanka series. While fielding coach T Dilip has continued in his role, Abhishek Nayar, Sairaj Bahutule and Ryan ten Doeschate are now a part of Gambhir’s support staff as well.
“I have been playing for 10 years. I have played with different coaches and captains. I don’t think a lot will change in the team. When we were talking in the team meeting, they also said the same thing that the coach and captain keep changing but the team remains the same and the 11 or 15 players who stay, they have to do it. They have told us that we will play the way we have been playing. Obviously, the coach and his input can be different. The thinking can be different, they keep telling you here and there. But there is not much change in the team’s atmosphere,” Axar Patel concluded.
