The action between India and South Africa moved up north into uncharted territory as the two teams faced off at the newly built PCA Stadium for the first international match at the venue. South Africa levelled the series 1–1 with what turned into a heavy 51-run defeat for India after they had dominated the previous game. While India went in with an unchanged XI, the batting line-up raised eyebrows as Axar Patel walked in at No. 3 instead of Suryakumar Yadav, the skipper. On the other hand, concerns around his form continue to grow, Surya has scored fewer than 200 runs this year and has been inconsistent with the bat. Meanwhile, up top, Shubman Gill also extended his lean patch as he walked back for a golden duck.
As the World Cup nears, the Indian management will look to settle a playing XI. Meanwhile, fans have their eyes peeled for a solidified batting order but instead have been witness to out-of-the-blue, horses-for-courses experiments. One such example was last night when Patel walked in at No. 3. With India at 4/1 in two overs, another left-hander arrived at the crease. It is difficult to grasp the reasoning behind the move. Does the captain not trust himself at his usual position to do the job? Was there a need for two left-handers against the South African attack? Or did the early wicket prompt a panic-driven reshuffle?
Suryakumar Yadav gave his reasoning at the post-match press conference, unfortunately, it did not sit well.
“We just thought in the last game we saw Axar bat really well in the longer format, and we wanted him to bat the same way. Unfortunately, it didn’t work, but he did bat well. We’ll see what’s going for us in the second game,” said the captain in the post-match presentation.
The other major concern is the deputy, Shubman Gill. His inconsistency has cost India crucial runs at the top. Questions such as “Would Gill be a sure starter if he wasn’t the vice-captain?” have begun to surface and they are valid. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson, two proven performers, are warming the bench, and Gill will feel the pressure. Unfortunately for the team management, it is too late to back away now; he is the vice-captain and will continue to be backed despite the lacklustre performances.
The same was evident in the press conference as Ryan ten Doeschate defended his form.
“We had a great wicket in Cuttack, so I’ll let him off for that one. Today he got a good ball, and that can happen when you’re short on form. But we also know his class. Just look at his IPL numbers, 700 runs, 600 runs, 800 runs, 600 runs. We trust his quality and we believe he’ll come good. The same goes for Surya. As for the leadership roles, we’re quite far down the road with our planning and how we’ve set the team up. Personally, I think you back quality players and quality leaders like them, and they will deliver. I understand why it might look like a concern from the outside, but I have absolute faith that both of them will click at the right time for us.”
As the series rolls on, with three more games to go before South Africa return home, India’s batting experiments feel increasingly baffling. The form of both Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill remains a pressing worry, yet the management appears locked into a corner. Gill’s vice-captaincy makes him undroppable, and with no game time for Jaiswal or Samson, there is barely a contingency plan should things go wrong or if Gill suffers another injury setback. The larger fear is simple and sobering: India cannot afford another Sydney-style implosion on the world stage. With the World Cup almost upon us, clarity would help far more than experimentation disguised as flexibility.
Follow Revsportz for latest sports news
