"I say this with a lot of seriousness" - Aakash Chopra questions India's tactics in IND vs SA 2025 2nd T20I

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned the Men in Blue for sending Axar Patel at No. 3 in the second T20I against South Africa. He highlighted that India were chasing a mammoth total and had to get off to an explosive start.

South Africa set India a 214-run target in New Chandigarh on Thursday, December 11. Axar scored a run-a-ball 21 at No. 3 in the chase as the hosts were bowled out for 162, losing the game by 51 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener wondered why Axar was sent at No. 3.

"Correct the batting order, and I say this with a lot of seriousness. You were chasing 214. It wasn't a small total, and Shubman Gill got out in the first over. If you are trying to chase close to 215, you have to score 60 runs in the first six overs. You had to make the powerplay large. However, you sent Axar," he said. (4:45)

Chopra noted that Axar couldn't have been sent for a left-right batting combination, adding that the spin-bowling all-rounder was also forced to bat cautiously due to the loss of wickets at the other end, which didn't help India's cause.

"Why do you have to send him at No. 3 when you have batting till No. 8? It wasn't a left-right problem as well. A right-hander got out, you sent a left-hander, and there were two left-handers in the middle. He was trying, but two wickets fell from the other end, so he said he would bat cautiously. He scored a run-a-ball 21. It wasn't good enough here," he observed.

Axar Patel was sent at No. 3 after Shubman Gill was dismissed for a golden duck in the first over. Abhishek Sharma (17 off 8) and Suryakumar Yadav (5 off 4) also lost their wickets soon thereafter, thereby forcing Axar to rebuild the innings alongside Tilak Varma (62 off 34).

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"Shivam Dube wasn't utilized at all" - Aakash Chopra on the repercussions of Axar Patel's promotion in IND vs SA 2025 2nd T20I

Shivam Dube batted at No. 8 in the second T20I against South Africa. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Axar Patel's promotion implied that Shivam Dube wasn't utilized effectively with the bat.

"Axar played 21 balls, but only 13 balls were left when Shivam Dube got to bat. The match was actually over. Whether he came to bat or not would have made no difference whatsoever. So Shivam Dube wasn't utilized at all. This was the battle that had to be won from the front," he said. (5:30)

The cricketer-turned-cricketer added that India needed to send their best batters up the order while chasing a massive total.

"Your heavy artillery should have been sent ahead. It was a 215-run battle. In such a scenario, if you save your resources, that they would come later and do something, it was too late by then," Chopra observed.

Shivam Dube walked out to bat when Jitesh Sharma (27 off 17) was dismissed off the penultimate ball of the 18th over. The seam-bowling all-rounder managed a solitary run before being bowled by Ottneil Baartman off the second ball he faced.