"Axar Patel is still kept carefully in the dressing room" - Harbhajan Singh on the all-rounder's batting position for DC in IPL 2023
Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh lambasted the Delhi Capitals (DC) for once again sending Axar Patel down the batting order in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). The in-form player walked in at No. 7 in DC's 27-run loss to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday, May 10.
With the game well out of reach on a dry surface, the all-rounder scored 21 runs off 12 deliveries before getting out to Matheesha Pathirana in the 18th over. Chasing 168 for victory, DC could only muster 140-8 in their 20 overs, marking their seventh successive defeat against CSK at Chepauk.
Opining that he fails to understand's DC's strategy of bringing an in-form Axar down the order, Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel:
"Axar Patel is still kept carefully in the dressing room, he is coming in to bat at No.7 and No.8, I don't understand what's the logic behind that. Had Axar Patel come in instead of Rilee Rossouw, he would have made something of it. The result might have been better than this at least."
Axar has scored 267 runs in 11 IPL 2023 matches at an average of 33.38 and a strike rate of 138.34.
"There is nothing left for them in IPL 2023, so think about the future" - Harbhajan Singh urges DC to change their captain
While DC's campaign gathered some momentum with a string of victories, their season has been marred by their woeful start and a potential last-placed finish.
The David Warner-led side have won only four IPL 2023 matches and are all but eliminated from the playoff race.
Stating that DC should change their captain keeping the future in mind, Harbhajan Singh said:
"The entire DC unit will be disappointed with this season. The expectations from them, on the basis of the team they had, it was not fulfilled. Things were not run in a good way, the captaincy was not good as well. I think they should change their captain, I have said this before as well. There is nothing left for them in IPL 2023, so think about the future."
DC are scheduled to play back-to-back matches against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the coming days. They will wrap up their campaign with a home match against CSK on Saturday, May 20.
Where should Axar Patel ideally bat in DC's playing XI? Let us know what you think.