"Mindless captaincy" - Netizens disappointed after Axar Patel is sent in to bat ahead of Dinesh Karthik in 1st T20I between India and England
Team India are locking horns with England in their T20I series opener at Southampton on Thursday. The visitors got off to a brisk start after electing to bat first. Many fans were, however, surprised to see Axar Patel come out to bat ahead of Dinesh Karthik.
The Men in Blue lost their fourth wicket in the 12th over of the contest. The team management decided to hold back Karthik and instead promoted Axar Patel in the batting order.
Indian supporters weren't pleased with the tactic and took to Twitter to express their displeasure.
Here are some of the reactions:
@BCCI Team India fell about 20 runs short because someone in the dressing room decided to send axar Patel ahead of in form dinesh karthik.
Someone please help me to find the logic of sending Axar Patel ahead of Dinesh Karthik!
@BCCI is doing so many b!unders
#INDvENG
So team India expects #DineshKarthik to play only 7-8 balls and hit a boundary off every delivery. Axar Patel playing more balls than #DK shows the level of decision making by the captain and team management. #INDvsEND
DK before Axar is the basic common sense which Indian coaches lack.
@BCCI @DineshKarthik
@ImRo45 why indian team always unfair with Dinesh karthik. Is it right to promote axar place before DK.
India is wasting Dinesh Karthik by not allowing him to bat early. Axar not fit for t20
Rohit Sharma think Axar Patel can play better than Dinesh Karthik.
Mindless captaincy.
#INDvENG #RohitSharma #CricketTwitter
Why is Dinesh Karthik sent so lower down the order?
He should have definitely come above Axar Patel today
POOR CAPTAINCY FROM ROHIT SHARMA ...!!!
HOW CAN U SEND AXAR AHEAD OF DK ???
🤦🤦🤦
Dinesh Karthik also deserves to play more overs like others . Because , the way DK is in form .. I don't think anyone can stop him ( EXCEPT BATTING POSITION ) .
When Dinesh Karthik is in form of his life.
Was Axar Patel sent before him due to Gujarat Quota?
#EngvInd
Axar patel batting ahead of Dinesh Karthik? What the hell? Are you afraid of Dinesh Karthik playing well? @BCCI
Sending Axar Patel ahead of Dinesh Karthik might've been a disasterclass move
Ok so what is point of sending Axar Patel ahead of @DineshKarthik ? He could use those 6 six balls to get used to settle down whereas Axar would basically just waste those 6 balls (sometimes even more). Why?
#AxarPatel #dineshkarthik #IndiaVsEnglandT20onSonyLIV
@DineshKarthik gets to play just 4 ball before the final over. #AxarPatel came in to bat at 11.4 overs. Let that sink in
If you do not allow Dinesh Karthik to play enough balls, it will not benefit India in T20 WC. Why send Axar ahead of him? #IndiaVsEnglandT20onSonyLIV
Why can't @DineshKarthik come early to bat ???
Is Axar Patel better batsman than him ?
Beyond understanding 🤯
#ENGvIND
Karthik finally came in to bat after Axar Patel's dismissal in the 17th over. The right-hander didn't have any other option apart from going for big shots. He perished in the final over doing just that and managed only 11 runs off seven deliveries.
India post an impressive total of 198 after opting to bat first
The Indian batters impressed many with their counter-attacking approach in the opening tie of the three-match T20I series against England. Rohit Sharma (24), Deepak Hooda (33), and Suryakumar Yadav (39) helped the side get off to a blistering start.
Hardik Pandya stole the show with some swashbuckling batting. He enthralled viewers with his strokeplay as he took the opposition bowlers to the cleaners. The talismanic all-rounder struck his maiden T20I half-century and contributed with 51 crucial runs from just 33 balls.
It looked like the visitors would easily cross the 200-run mark while Pandya was at the crease but things slowed down a bit after he got out in the 18th over. Rohit Sharma and Co. ultimately finished at 198/8 after 20 overs.
The second half of the contest is also expected to be a high-octane one as both sides look to go all guns blazing.