Home
India's batting lineup delivered a commanding performance in the first T20I against Sri Lanka on Saturday, July 28. The team amassed a formidable total of 213 runs, setting a challenging target for the opposition. Openers Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal laid a solid foundation, and Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant carried the momentum forward. Notably, Rishabh Pant, who typically batted at number three during the T20 World Cup 2024, was moved down to the number four position for this match. Captain Suryakumar Yadav took over the number three spot and contributed a match-winning half-century to India's impressive total.
Axar Patel, a key member of India's World Cup-winning team, explained the rationale behind the batting order change. He highlighted India's abundance of left-handed batters, stating that the team's strategy was to maximize the right-left combination. This approach is traditionally challenging for bowlers, and India aimed to capitalize on this advantage.
Our team has four lefties and four righties: Axar Patel
"Our team has four lefties and four righties. If there is a left-right combination (in the middle), it becomes very hard for the bowlers to maintain the line and lengths consistently especially with rotations with singles. Now if there are four lefties, how can you use them? If you have that chance (to ensure) that there are no two lefties or two righties (in the middle) at the same time," Axar Patel said in the press conference after the match.
"If you have that chance, if you have those players in batting, then why not use them? You also have to keep changing the batting order as per the bowling options that the opposition has got," Patel further stated.
Patel disclosed the new support staff's message for the Sri Lanka series. He mentioned that under head coach Gautam Gambhir, the message from India's new staff has been clear: there won't be a significant change in the team's operations. While fielding coach T Dilip remains in his role, Abhishek Nayar, Sairaj Bahutule, and Dutchman Ryan ten Doeschate have joined Gambhir's support staff for this tour.
“I have been playing for 10 years. I have played with different coaches and captains. I don't think a lot will change in the team. When we were talking in the team meeting, they also said the same thing that the coach and captain keep changing but the team remains the same and the 11 or 15 players who stay, they have to do it. They have told us that we will play the way we have been playing. Obviously, the coach and his input can be different. The thinking can be different, they keep telling you here and there. But there is not much change in the team's atmosphere,” the T20 World Cup 2024-winner concluded.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
