Winning, losing, or even a draw—all are parts of a cricket match. But how a team achieves any of these possible results became a topic for discussion among cricket fans. India’s 76-run defeat against South Africa sparked a series of debates among cricket fans and experts, as most of their tactical moves proved ineffective.
Since announcing his retirement from international cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin has been active on social media platforms as a cricket pundit. After the February 22nd match, he criticised Gautam Gambhir-led management decisions heavily in his YouTube video.
Axar Patel played a pivotal role behind India’s triumphant T20 World Cup 2024
Ravichandran Ashwin explained he believes the exclusion of Axar Patel from the playing XI to place Washington Sundar into the team was a very wrong call made by the management.
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Showing no disrespect to Sundar, the former India cricketer gave a reminder of how helpful Patel was during the previous T20 World Cup final, where he stitched a crucial partnership of 72 runs with Virat Kohli to secure a total of 176 runs. India won the final by defeating South Africa, the same side that humbled Team India at the Narendra Modi Stadium last night.
“In the previous World Cup, in the situation against South Africa, in which India was in the chase, Axar Patel came in under the same circumstances. He stitched a partnership with Virat Kohli, and India crossed 170. Of course, Kohli’s experience was there, but Axar is not inferior. If India had a few wickets in hand and stability in the middle overs, they would have chased the target down,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.
Ravichandran Ashwin requested the Indian team management to maintain a stable playing XI
Through the YouTube video, the former Indian spinner also mentioned that succeeding in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and playing for the national side are not the same. Washington Sundar undeniably played with effectiveness, but Axar Patel proved more useful donning the national team jersey. The ex-cricketer also suggested that the team management maintain a stable playing eleven, which can be beneficial for the team.
“I agree that the IPL is good for matchups, but you have to change the team because you are going to play 14 games. But in such ICC campaigns, the more stable you can keep the team, the better,” Ravichandran Ashwin explained.
Ravichandran Ashwin explains why Washington Sundar is also important for the team
“I agree 100% that you have to use Washington Sundar against left-handers; you have to play him. I agree with all that. But Axar Patel has been your MVP in T20 cricket. Let’s not forget what Axar Patel has done,” he further said in a video on his YouTube channel.
🚨 Ravichandran Ashwin Raises Question on Dropping Axar Patel 🚨
“In long IPL seasons, match-ups and rotation make sense. But in ICC World Cups, stability matters more.
Yes Sundar can be used for specific roles. But Axar Patel has been India’s T20 MVP. Let’s not forget what… pic.twitter.com/4suMfFQznc
— Rohan💫 (@rohann__45) February 22, 2026
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