Maybe we can look at Ishan Kishan

Former batter Ambati Rayudu criticised the India team management for sending Axar Patel at No.5 in a tricky run chase during the second ODI against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday, November 7. The southpaw’s promotion in the batting order backfired as he was dismissed for 7 off 17 deliveries.

India had bowled New Zealand out for 134 in 41 overs after Shubman Gill chose to field in overcast conditions, with Gurnoor Brar taking a career-best 4 for 30 in yet another sublime spell in the series. The match had been trimmed to 47 overs a side after a wet outfield delayed the toss by an hour, and the target of 135 looked routine until New Zealand’s seamers found movement.

New Zealand bowling spearhead Jacob Duffy had Shubman Gill caught behind for a golden duck and removed Virat Kohli for 7 in quick succession, while Kyle Jamieson accounted for Rohit Sharma (23) in the ninth over. Axar Patel walked in at No.5 with India 39 for 3 in the ninth over, the ball still seaming and the field up.

He survived 17 balls for seven runs, and in the 13th over he tried to carve a short ball from Matthew Fisher over third man, failed to clear the fielder, and was caught by Duffy. India were reduced to 47 for 4 in 12.5 overs, as KL Rahul walked in to yet another tricky situation.

Ambati Rayudu questioned why Axar Patel was sent out to bat in such a crucial batting position in such tough conditions, and felt that he is better suited to batting in the lower middle-order. He also suggested the likes of Ishan Kishan and Naman Dhir to strengthen the No.5 slot.

“I just felt that Axar Patel, in these given conditions, maybe he is not ready to bat at No.5. At No.6 or No.7, he can still come in and do a job. But I just feel that at No.5, you need a proper batter who can handle these conditions. If Axar Patel can do lower down the order, maybe we can look at Ishan Kishan going forward, because we need a batter to bat along with Shreyas and KL. We either need to get Naman Dhir up or get Ishan Kishan into the mix, because that is the only one area where I have seen a little bit of a lack. It is a good lesson for the Indian team going forward, but all in all, we played some decent cricket,” he said on Cricbuzz.

Axar Patel had featured at No.5 in the first ODI in Auckland as well, but was dismissed for a two-ball duck. After his dismissal in the second ODI, Shreyas Iyer (30) and KL Rahul (26 not out off 38 balls) added 39 to drag the chase back on course.

Rain arrived with India 113 for 7 in 26 overs, and they eventually won as they were four runs ahead of the DLS par score when the match was eventually abandoned.

“It seemed as if he was trying to come and apply himself” – Murali Kartik on Axar Patel’s bizarre approach in NZ vs IND 2026 2nd ODI

Former India spinner Murali Kartik also questioned the team management’s decision to promote Axar Patel in the batting order. He feels that if the all-rounder comes at No.5, it has to be as a free-flowing impactful floater instead of someone who holds one end.

“At that point of time, if you need to send Axar Patel, it has to be with a brief that he is going to have a go at everything and try and upset the bowlers. The message should be that even if we lose you, if you get a quick-fire 15-20 and then you throw the bowlers off guard, then that is a different thing. But it seemed as if he was trying to come and apply himself, which was not needed at that point,” he said.

Axar Patel has held the No.5 slot in white-ball cricket since early 2025 when India needed a left-handed batter to tackle spin in the middle order. He made 42 batting at five in India’s Champions Trophy win over New Zealand in Dubai, and the team has leaned on his flexibility while Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja are absent.

Edited by Gokul Nair