"Just trying things combination-wise, exploring...": Ryan on promoting Axar to number 3 during Mullanpur T20I
Dec 11, 2025
New Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], December 12 : Following Team India's loss to South Africa in the second T20I, assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate said that the decision to send all-rounder Axar Patel at number three was just them "trying things combination-wise".
The experimentation and poor form of the captain-vice captain duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill continued after the highs of a 101-run win in the first T20I. The Proteas were more clinical and made India eat the humble pie by outplaying them in every department to level the series 1-1.
During the run-chase, India took a gamble by bringing Axar Patel up at number three, with skipper Suryakumar coming in at number four and Tilak Varma at number five.
Speaking about this experiment during the post-match presser, Ryan said, "We are
trying things combination-wise. We have eight or nine games before the T20 World Cup, and we have found ourselves three down at 35 over the last couple of months more times than we would have liked. So we are just exploring to extend our batting, the link between openers and the guys who we want to come out and smash around when things get easier."
Most notably, Axar has batted at number five for India consistently in ODIs as of late this year, having made 358 runs in 11 innings at an average of 35.80 and a strike rate of almost 90 with a fifty. His cameos played a crucial role in the ICC Champions Trophy win this year. In six innings at the same spot in T20Is, he has made 142 runs at a SR of over 140 at an average of 23.66, with his impactful 47 against the Proteas during the T20 WC finals last year being the standout.
Coming to the match, India won the toss and elected to bowl first. A quickfire 90 in 46 balls, with five fours and seven sixes by Quinton and brilliant finish from Ferreira (30* in 16 balls, with a four and three sixes) and Miller (20* in 12 balls, with two fours and a six), who put on a 53-run stand towards the end in just 23 balls, took SA to 213/4 in 20 overs.
Spinner Varun Chakravarthy (2/29) was the pick of the bowlers for India, while Bumrah (0/45) and Arshdeep Singh (0/54) had an off-colour day.
During the chase, India sank to 32/3 after a top-order failure. Tilak Varma (62 in 33 balls, with two fours and five sixes) got some support from Hardik Pandya (20 in 23 balls, with a six) and Jitesh Sharma (27 in 17 balls, with two fours and two sixes), but it was not enough as India was skittled out for 162 runs in 19.1 overs, with pacer Ottneil Baartman (4/24) being the top bowler.
