IND vs SL 2024: Axar Patel explains rationale behind Rishabh Pant's demotion to Number 4

Team India (IND) registered a 43-run win in the first T20I against Sri Lanka (SL) on Saturday, July 27, at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, in Pallekele. This was Gautam Gambhir's first match as the head coach of the Indian team and he will be happy with the positive start to his new job. One of the interesting changes adopted by the new management was giving Rishabh Pant a demotion in the batting order.

The wicketkeeper-batter had been India's No. 3 batter during their T20 World Cup-winning campaign last month. However, on Saturday, he was dropped to No. 4 as Suryakumar Yadav, who is the new full-time T20I captain, came at the fall of the first wicket. The two flamboyant batters exchanged their positions from the T20 World Cup 2024.

Axar Patel, who has become an integral part of the Indian side in recent times, explained the reason behind Rishabh Pant's demotion. The left-arm spinner noted that four out of India's top eight batters in the lineup were left-handers. Axar went on to reveal that the management opted to have a right-left combination at the crease and that is why Surykumar got promoted to No. 3 after Shuban Gill departed on the last ball of the powerplay. The left-right batting combination is known for giving bowlers some headache. Suryakumar joined the left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal in the middle. Pant walked out to the crease only after the fall of Yashasvi's wicket.

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"Our team has four lefties and four righties. If there is a left-right combination (in the middle), it becomes very hard for the bowlers to maintain the line and lengths consistently especially with rotations with singles. Now if there are four lefties, how can you use them? If you have that chance (to ensure) that there are no two lefties or two righties (in the middle) at the same time," Axar said in the post-match press conference.

"If you have that chance, if you have those players in batting, then why not use them? You also have to keep changing the batting order as per the bowling options that the opposition has got," he further added.

There is not much change in the team's atmosphere: Axar

Furthermore, Axar Patel said that the new management under Gautam Gambhir has informed the players that no major changes will be made in terms of the team's approach. The 30-year-old asserted that the team atmosphere has not changed much.

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"I have been playing for 10 years. I have played with different coaches and captains. I don't think a lot will change in the team. When we were talking in the team meeting, they also said the same thing that the coach and captain keep changing but the team remains the same and the 11 or 15 players who stay, they have to do it. They have told us that we will play the way we have been playing. Obviously, the coach and his input can be different. The thinking can be different, they keep telling you here and there. But there is not much change in the team's atmosphere," Axar concluded.