Gautam Gambhir Backs Axar Patel’s Promotion Over KL Rahul: “It’s About Impact, Not Averages”

Head Coach Defends Tactical Move, Calls For More Flexibility In Batting Order

February 14, 2025: India’s dominant 3-0 series win over England left little doubt about their superiority, but one tactical decision raised eyebrows – Axar Patel batting ahead of KL Rahul in two successful chases. Head Coach Gautam Gambhir defended the move, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and impact in modern cricket rather than rigid batting orders.

Also Read: India’s Road to ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Strengths, Weaknesses & Key Challenges

Tactical Shift: Right-Left Balance Over Conventional Lineup

Axar Patel’s promotion up the order was not a random call but a strategic move, according to Gambhir. Speaking at a press conference, the coach explained why the team prioritized impact over conventional roles.

Also Read: IPL 2025 To Begin On March 22 With KKR vs RCB, Grand Finale On May 25 In Kolkata

“That’s the way cricket is meant to be played,” Gambhir said.

“I know a lot of people talk about it, but it’s not about the batting order. It’s about who can create what impact. If you have the option of putting a quality left-hand batter in the middle, why wouldn’t you do that?”

Breaking The Right-Handed Dominance In The Top Five

Gambhir stressed that maintaining a balance between left-handers and right-handers is key to keeping the opposition guessing.

Also Read: Champions Trophy: “Stop Calling Me King”: Babar Azam’s Humble Plea To Media

“Why would you want a top five consisting only of right-handers? We don’t look at averages and stats; we look at who can deliver at that number. Axar has done fabulously well. In both games he got the opportunity, he delivered for us,” he added.

Longer Batting Line-Up & More Depth

One of the biggest advantages of this change, according to Gambhir, is that it extends India’s batting depth while keeping the side balanced.

“If Axar is batting at five, it only lengthens the batting, with KL [Rahul] at six, Hardik [Pandya] at seven, and Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja] at eight. Jaddu is a world-class batter, and I don’t think you can consider him a tail-ender. If you can bat till number eight, it’s always a great luxury, plus we have six quality bowling options,” Gambhir explained.

Future Strategy: Will India Stick To This Approach?

While this move sparked debate, Gambhir is confident that flexibility in the batting order will be crucial in major tournaments, including the upcoming Champions Trophy.

“We just wanted a left-hander in the middle to break the top five right-handers. There will always be talk, but this is the direction we want to take moving forward,” he concluded.

With Gambhir at the helm, Team India seems to be embracing a more tactical, adaptable approach, one that prioritizes match impact over statistics. It remains to be seen whether this strategy becomes a permanent fixture in India’s ODI blueprint.

Tags: AxarPatel, KLRahul, GautamGambhir, IndiaVsEngland, CricketTactics, TeamIndia, ChampionsTrophy, INDvsENG,