"I don't know why he's batting below Axar Patel" - Jason Gillespie's stunning statement on Team India star ahead of AUS vs IND 2025 4th T20I

Cricket: Australia v India - 2nd T20I - Source: Getty
Axar Patel has made several timely contributions for India with the bat over the past few years [Credit: Getty]

Former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie hailed Team India all-rounder Washington Sundar for his match-winning knock in the third T20I in Hobart on November 2. Gillespie further believes Sundar should be batting above fellow spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel in the Indian batting order.

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Sundar walked into bat at the fall of Axar's wicket at No.6 and scored a sparkling 23-ball 49*. His onslaught helped the visitors comfortably chase down a formidable target of 187 in the penultimate over.

Talking about Washington Sundar's heroics on the Fast Bowling Cartel YouTube channel, Gillespie said (7:36):

"I don't know why he is batting below Axar Patel. That 49* was absolutely superb. He wasn't intimidated by the Australian seamers and just looked to take it on. They've got a nice batting lineup. I just felt Axar Patel is one or two spots too high in that order. He's a good player, no doubt. But he is probably more suited to subcontinent conditions."
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Gillespie's long-time Australia fast-bowling partner, Glenn McGrath, also had words of praise for Sundar, saying:

"I've spent a little bit of time with Washington Sundar in Chennai when I've been coaching. He has just got a great attitude. He just goes and backs himself when he gets the opportunity."

Sundar did not play in the first two T20Is and also did not bowl a single over in the third T20I. Meanwhile, Axar, who has been a regular in India's T20I side, scored a 12-ball 17 at No.5.

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"He's an excitement machine" - Jason Gillespie on Abhishek Sharma

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Jason Gillespie praised Team India opener Abhishek Sharma for his aggressive approach with the bat, calling him an "Excitement machine." The southpaw has lit up the Australian stadiums by top-scoring thus far after the three T20Is with 112 runs at an average of over 37 and a strike rate of 167.16.

"He (Abhishek Sharma) just goes out there and is aggressive. He runs at the first ball and just looks to put pressure on the opposition. He's an excitement machine and the anticipation of him walking out can be seen in the last couple of games," said Gillespie (via the aforementioned source).
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Another former Australia pacer, Damien Fleming, pointed to Abhishek's resume as an indication of the modern IPL product.

"He's going at about two runs per ball. He hits them to all different angles. I looked up his record. He has hardly played any First-Class cricket. He doesn't even play a lot of 50-over domestic cricket and still hasn't played a 50-over game for India. But he's just about their most important batter. This is like the new generation IPL player that just comes in and dominates one form, which is T20 cricket," said Fleming.

Abhishek has played 27 T20Is but has yet to play for India in the other two formats. The youngster also boasts 156 overall T20 games in his career, but only 63 List-A and 24 First-Class matches.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran
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