IND vs SA 2nd T20I: Former cricketers slam India’s batting shuffle after heavy defeat

India’s unexpected decision to push captain Suryakumar Yadav down to No. 4  instead of his usual one-down position sparked strong criticism after the team’s 51-run loss to South Africa in the second T20I. 

Former stars Dale Steyn and Robin Uthappa hit out at head coach Gautam Gambhir, cautioning that such late experimentation could seriously backfire ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Chasing a stiff target of 214, India were jolted early when vice-captain Shubman Gill fell for his first international golden duck. In a tense moment that called for stability, many expected Suryakumar to take charge at No. 3. Instead, the team management sent Axar Patel up the order — a move that puzzled many. The experiment failed to yield dividends as Axar scored a run-a-ball 21, while Suryakumar, battling a rough patch, arrived at No. 4 and managed only 5 off 4 deliveries.

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Uthappa, visibly frustrated during the post-match discussion, criticised the decision and indirectly questioned Suryakumar’s earlier comment that India prefer a flexible batting line-up apart from the openers. He insisted that such an approach was flawed, especially in pressure chases.

“When you’re pursuing a massive total, your strongest batters must walk in early. If you promote a pinch-hitter, he needs to play with intent, but Axar didn’t. And honestly, I don’t buy this ‘everyone must be flexible’ logic in high-pressure chases. After losing a key batter immediately, you need your best players at the crease. Something isn’t right here, and India must address this before it becomes a costly habit,” Uthappa said.

Uthappa further urged Gambhir to finalise India’s top-three combination, stressing that constant chopping and changing was hurting role clarity and could prove disastrous in a World Cup year.

Steyn echoed similar concerns, remarking that India had “set Axar up to fail” by sending him in during a crucial phase. According to the South African great, the team complicated a simple decision.