India has shown an excellent form in the ODIs leading to the Champions 2025 trophy. However, there are still gaps to fill while men in blue go to the tournament. Head coach Gautam Gambir is aware of these problems when he tried some combinations of the series against England.
Former national selector Devang Gandhi praised Gautam Gambir for having made India a dominant team of ODIs despite the transition. However, Gandhi also warned Gambir of the inconsistent average order.
Recently, India preferred to play Axar Patel at n ° 5 to accommodate a left -hander in an order of striker full of right -handers. Gandhi spoke of this decision and called the management of the team led by Gautam Gambir to give Axar a long term.
Also read: Pakistan playing 11 for the Champions 2025 trophy fled; Babar Azam withdrawn like ..
Devang Gandhi warns Gautam Gambir of the inconsistent average order of India
During a conversation with you, Devang Gandhi praised Gautam Gambhir for carrying a team in transition, but also warned it against the inconsistent intermediate order. He also gave an example in 2016-2019 when India played brilliantly, but the medium fragile cost them many important games.
“(Gautam) Gambhir must be granted due to the credit for having worked with a team in transition. He has dominated India in the ODI format, just as India was doing from 2016 to 2019. What selectors and Gambir need to be careful, it is consistency in the middle order, “said Gandhi.
“The striker was then widely motivated by the first three – Rohit (Sharma), Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli. What happened when no one has had time to settle from N ° 4. The role they had to play.
Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli formed the first three of the range of strikers from India during this period and won a no. matches for their team. However, their failures have cost many games when India has lost many key games, as is the ODI 2019 World Cup semi-final.
Axar Patel must have a long term – Devang Gandhi in Gautam Gambir
Devang Gandhi also suggested that selectors persist with Axar Patel at n ° 5, because an opportunity has already been given to him. Gandhi believes that it is up to the selectors to decide if they want to give Axar a long term to this hitting point.
“If they have identified Axar (patel) as a striker n ° 5, they must seek to give him a race for this issue. Axar has done well, but the management must decide if it will be a long -term option which Can rebuild and dominate a round to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, “he argued.
Axar Patel struck at n ° 5 in the series against England to accommodate the left-right combination in the middle. India has a no. right -handers in their striking order and the promotion of Axar helps them to have a left -handed.
Axar Patel in England Odi
Axar responded well to its promotion to the stick and struck half a crucial half in the first ODI, then an undefeated 41 in the second match. Although he gave India the combination of left-right strikers, he pushed Kl Rahul in place n ° 6 in the order of the strikers.
The Allrounder is likely to keep its hitting point in the next Champions Trophy. It will be at Gautam Gambhir and his coach staff to decide whether they want to persist with him or not.