India's team selection came under scrutiny at the Narendra Modi Stadium, where Washington Sundar was preferred over vice-captain Axar Patel in a tactical move aimed at countering South Africa\u2019s left-hand-heavy batting line-up. The decision, however, did not pay off as India were bundled out for 111 in reply to 187\/7, slumping to their first defeat of the tournament.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ponting questioned the rationale behind sidelining Axar solely on match-up grounds. \"Listening to the commentary, the reason Axar didn\u2019t play (against South Africa) is because of the left-handers in the opposition side. But there are still some right-handers there. It just comes down to the art of the captain being able to use Axar at the right time,\u201d he said in the latest episode of The ICC Review.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India's loss has left them needing victories in their remaining Super Eight fixtures to stay in contention for the semi-finals, as their net run rate has taken a significant hit. Against a disciplined South African attack led by Marco Jansen (4-22) and Keshav Maharaj (3-24), India\u2019s batting frailties were exposed, intensifying debate around team balance and bowling combinations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Ponting questioned the rationale behind sidelining Axar solely on match-up grounds. \"Listening to the commentary, the reason Axar didn\u2019t play (against South Africa) is because of the left-handers in the opposition side. But there are still some right-handers there. It just comes down to the art of the captain being able to use Axar at the right time,\u201d he said in the latest episode of The ICC Review.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI would be going back to the basics. I'd be just looking at their lineup. Who's our best XI for the conditions in Chennai? If that has Axar Patel in it, great. If it has Kuldeep Yadav in it, that's the other one that I'd be thinking about bringing back because it doesn't matter with him if it's left-hand or right-hand. He can bowl wrong ones and spin the ball away from the left-hand outside edge of both those batters,\u201d Ponting opined.<\/p>\r\n\r\n