‘Just purely because of the wicket and match-ups’ - David Warner reveals reason behind not bowling Axar Patel against GT

Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper David Warner explained the reason why Axar Patel did not bowl during Tuesday's (April 4) Indian Premier League 2023 match against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Warner, who took over as captain of DC for the IPL 2023 season, failed to impress, losing the first two matches. DC were defeated by the defending champions by six wickets in their first home game of the season. 

Warner did not give the ball to India all-rounder Axar Patel as he preferred Mitchell Marsh over the spinner. The captain was heavily criticised for his decision, with many claiming it cost them the match. However, he defended his decision, asserting it was a tactical decision based on match-ups.

"Just purely because of the wicket and the match-ups. We thought Kuldeep would be effective, and we had Mitch Marsh," Warner said.

The Australian also spoke about the struggles of DC top-order, stating that they did not expect the ball to do so much so early on. He added that they have six more home games and will try to avoid them in the remaining games. He further stated that his bowlers performed well, but Sai Sudharsan and David Miller steered GT to victory.

“It swung more than I anticipated. Losing wickets in the powerplay can be a struggle. They showed us how to adapt to the situation, and it was a learning experience for us. We have got six more games here and anticipate the swing upfront. They bowled extremely well. We were in the game, but Sai batted extremely well, and David Miller took it away,” Warner added.

Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to bowl first, restricting DC to 162/8. In the chase, GT openers Wriddhiman Saha and Shubman Gill took full advantage of Khaleel Ahmed and Mukesh Kumar's lack of experience.

In the third over, Warner turned to Anrich Nortje, and the South African dismissed Saha with his very first ball. He then removed the in-from Gill to give the hosts some hope. However, Sudharsan and Miller guided GT home by six wickets with 11 balls to spare.