In a stunning 76-run defeat to South Africa at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, India’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super-8 campaign took a major hit. The loss has sparked intense debate over the team’s playing XI, with all-rounder Axar Patel’s exclusion drawing the sharpest criticism.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate addressed the controversy head-on during the post-match press conference. He explained that the decision was driven by tactical needs against South Africa’s left-handed heavy top order. ‘Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton, and David Miller posed significant threats,’ Doeschate noted. ‘We prioritized off-spin to counter them effectively in the powerplay, where Washington Sundar has outperformed Axar against left-handers.’
Stats back this up: Sundar boasts 23 wickets in 57 powerplay innings versus Axar’s 14 in 62. However, Axar’s middle-over prowess—63 wickets in 79 innings compared to Sundar’s 23 in 48—could have stemmed the run flow later. His batting contributions might have bolstered India’s chase too.
The gamble didn’t pay off. Sundar leaked 17 runs in two powerplay overs without a wicket and scored just 11 with the bat. South Africa posted 187/7 after winning the toss, while India crumbled to 111 all out.
This setback complicates India’s semifinal path. Fans and pundits now question if sticking with Axar could have changed the game’s narrative, highlighting the high-stakes chess match of modern T20 selections.