“Do you’ve the courage to send Axar Patel on a tricky pitch?” - Former India cricketer slams Indian team management after IND vs ENG 2025 2nd ODI

Former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh has slammed the team management for promoting Axar Patel in the batting order and shunning KL Rahul down to No. 6. The all-rounder has played at No. 5 in both matches of the ongoing three-ODI series against England, while Rahul has looked out-of-sorts in his new role.

Axar Patel has been entrusted to feature higher in the middle order to bring a left-hand-right-hand combination in the middle overs. He scored a well-compiled fifty in the first ODI in Nagpur and was unbeaten on 41 in the second ODI in Cuttack, as India won on both occasions to seal the series.

In his new role at No. 6, KL Rahul has had to come out to bat in the dying stages of the run chase, with the target within reach. The wicketkeeper-batter, however, failed to see the team out in both matches, recording scores of 2 and 10 in the process.

Dodda Ganesh lambasted the 'experiment' by the Indian team management and opined that specialist batters should always be given preference in the batting order.

"Axar Patel again ahead of KL Rahul? I’m speechless. Does it make any sense to push a genuine batter like Rahul to no 6? When you’re 5/3, do you’ve the courage to send Axar on a tricky pitch? If not, what sense does this experiment make?Absolutely mindless this," Ganesh wrote on X.

Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar had criticized KL Rahul for his soft dismissal in the first ODI. Looking for a single to bring Shubman Gill back on strike to help him reach his hundred, the wicketkeeper-batter lost his wicket to Adil Rashid.

In the second ODI, he was troubled by a Jamie Overton bouncer, leading to a simple catch for wicketkeeper Phil Salt.

Dodda Ganesh had criticized the team management for Axar Patel's promotion in the 1st ODI as well

Axar Patel has made the most of his promotion to be considered as a reliable left-handed option for the middle order. On the other hand, KL Rahul is struggling in his newfound role and is under pressure with fellow wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant waiting on the sidelines.

"KL Rahul has been best at no 5; but the wisemen in the dressing room find different ways to demote him in this batting lineup. Absolutely ridiculous. What are you going to achieve by sending Axar at no 5?" Dodda Ganesh wrote on X after the 1st ODI.

Including the ongoing England series, KL Rahul has batted four times at No. 6. He has scored 54 runs at an average of 18 and a strike rate of 78.26.