Sunil Gavaskar and Ajay Jadeja left puzzled after Axar Patel comes to bat ahead of Rishabh Pant

After the Bangladesh spinners ran through the Indian top-order on Day 3 while chasing a manageable total of 145 in the second innings of the ongoing second Test match at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, the Indian think tank decided to promote left-arm spinner Axar Patel up the order as a night watchman.

While the team management’s strategy was to counter the Bangladesh spinners who were going berserk on a slow wicket, the move has not gone down well with a couple of cricket pundits - Sunil Gavaskar and Ajay Jadeja as they openly criticized head coach Rahul Dravid and skipper KL Rahul for the same.

We don't know what happened in the changing room: Sunil Gavaskar

"It didn't send a good message to Kohli. He is the best batsman in the world. Unless Kohli himself asked for it, then it's a different matter. We don't know what happened in the changing room. But it's hard to understand. Axar has played well, of course," Sunil Gavaskar told Sony Sports at the end of Day 3.

"Irrespective of left-hander or not, let Rishabh Pant come into bat next tomorrow.  Let this left-hand and right-hand experiment stop," he added.

Meanwhile, former India middle-order batter Ajay Jadeja wondered whether Rishabh Pant had taken a sleeping pill for not coming out to bat and the team management sending out Axar Patel instead.

"He is the world's best player. 15 overs were left. Saba Karim said it could have been because of the left-right combination, which is an obvious thought, but then I feel - did Rishabh Pant take a sleeping pill? I will also say that it is easy for us to say this from here; we don't know if someone was not feeling well."

The move to send Axar as a nightwatchman has worked so far for India as he ended the day’s play by remaining unbeaten on 26 runs off 54 deliveries and has succeeded in scoring three fours. Chasing 145, the visitors are currently placed at 45/4.