Ex-KKR star indirectly questions Gautam Gambhir's 'batting orders are overrated' strategy after India lose 2nd T20I against South Africa

Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa lavished praise on South Africa for their performance in the second T20I and indirectly questioned Gautam Gambhir's take on batting orders in the shortest format of the game. India's experiment with batting flexibility came under scrutiny after they fell short in a challenging run chase against the Proteas, allowing the visitors to level the five-match series 1-1.

Uthappa for South Africa performance in 2nd T20I

Reflecting on South Africa’s response after losing the opening game on JioHotstar’s ‘Follow The Blues,’ Uthappa underlined how effectively they dominated all three departments.

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“South Africa batted and bowled exceptionally well to bounce back after the first game. With the new ball they were outstanding on that surface, Lungi Ngidi’s delivery to Shubman Gill was an absolute peach, and the ball to Abhishek Sharma cramped him for room on a testing back‑of‑a‑length. They consistently hit the right areas and kept India under pressure.”

“With the bat, they made a clear statement by attacking India’s best bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, right from the start. Quinton de Kock was phenomenal, built strong partnerships with Aiden Markram, ran superbly with Dewald Brevis, and kept the tempo high by hitting in his preferred zones. Donovan Ferreira and David Miller then finished things off in style. It was a complete performance from South Africa, and on a rare off day for Bumrah and Arshdeep, they out-batted, out-bowled, and out-fielded India,” he added.

Uthappa for Batting order

Notably, India's head coach Gambhir said that batting order stability beyond the openers holds little value in modern T20 cricket. However, Utappa, who was part of the Gambhir-led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), reckons that the Suryakumar Yadav-led team underperformed in the second T20I because of a lack of clarity in batting roles during a big chase.

“You can lose early wickets, but for me the real issue was the batting strategy once Shubman Gill got out. If Axar Patel is walking in at that stage with such a deep batting line-up, he has to play as a pinch-hitter — someone you’re willing to risk early in return for quick runs and taking pressure off Abhishek Sharma. Instead, his 21 off 21 didn’t really serve that purpose, and as wickets fell around him, he was forced to change his approach and slow down, which hurt the chase,” he said.

Uthappa on the importance of clearly defined roles for batters

The former opener emphasised the importance of clearly defined roles for batters playing an international game, especially when chasing a big target.

“At the international level, batters need clear roles and a clear idea of how they’re going to construct an innings. Flexibility with match-ups after the first six to eight overs is fine, but you still need a solid foundation before you can chase a big score — you can’t build a skyscraper without a base.”

Uthappa's warning

Uthappa concluded by warning against excessive tactical fluidity too early in an innings, suggesting it can complicate decision-making and scoring patterns.

“Asking players to prepare for multiple roles in the same game makes run-scoring more complicated, and that’s where India are missing a trick. I don’t agree with being overly flexible so early in the innings beyond the openers.”

India vs South Africa 3rd T20I

The third T20I between India and South Africa will take place on December 14 in Dharamsala.