‘Nothing wrong’: Gavaskar shuts down criticism of Gambhir's decision to bat Axar at 5

Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar has backed the team management's decision to promote Axar Patel ahead of KL Rahul in the second ODI against New Zealand, explaining the tactical thinking behind the move despite the all-rounder's failure with the bat. India were chasing a modest target of 135 at Hnry Stadium in Wellington but found themselves in early trouble against New Zealand's disciplined pace attack. After losing Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the visitors slipped to 39/3. Axar was then sent in at No. 5, ahead of Rahul, but could manage only seven runs before falling, leaving India struggling at 47/4. The decision by head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Gill to push Axar up the order attracted criticism from sections of fans and experts. However, Gavaskar felt there was sound reasoning behind the move, particularly the advantage of disrupting a bowling attack's plans by introducing a left-handed batter. "The bowlers have slight difficulty if a left-handed batter comes because you have to change the line and length you would have for a right-hander. In trying to do that, your line can change slightly even to the right-hander, where more chances of getting runs are created," Gavaskar explained, speaking on Sony Sports network after the game. The former India captain also pointed out that such tactical decisions should not be judged solely by their outcome, as they can produce different results on different occasions. "There was nothing wrong with that thought process. If Axar had scored runs, you would have said how good the captaincy was. Such moves work at times and don't work on other occasions, and it didn't work this time. You also knew there was a solid player like Rahul after him. That's why you experiment at times," he added. Axar's promotion was not an entirely unfamiliar move for India. The left-hander has previously been trusted with a higher batting position in important matches, most notably during the 2024 T20 World Cup final, when he forged a crucial partnership with Virat Kohli. He also occupied the No. 5 position ahead of Rahul throughout India's victorious Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. In Wellington, however, it was Rahul who eventually took responsibility for keeping India's chase on track. After walking in following Axar's dismissal, he combined with Shreyas Iyer, who contributed 30 off 46 deliveries, to steady the innings. Rahul was cautious initially, playing 18 dot balls in his first 20 deliveries before finding opportunities to accelerate. He remained unbeaten on 26 when rain stopped play, with India at 113/7 after 26 overs. India were four runs ahead of the DLS par score of 109 when the match was abandoned, handing the visitors a four-wicket victory and a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. The win was set up by an impressive performance from India's young pace attack. Gurnoor Brar claimed career-best figures of 4/30, while Auqib Nabi and Anshul Kamboj picked up two wickets apiece to dismiss New Zealand for 134 in 41 overs. Daryl Mitchell top-scored for the hosts with 55, but New Zealand's total proved insufficient as India secured another DLS victory in the series.