Axar, an important member of India’s white-ball setup, was surprisingly omitted from two of the nine matches India played on their way to lifting the T20 World Cup trophy for a record third time. Both exclusions occurred in Ahmedabad, including the crucial Super 8 clash against South Africa national cricket team — a match India lost by a massive 76 runs.
The decision sparked criticism from fans and cricket experts, with many questioning the team management’s strategy. However, the Indian camp maintained that the move was purely tactical. Speaking about the situation, Suryakumar admitted that the call did not go down well with the experienced all-rounder.
“He was very angry, and he should have been. He’s an experienced player, he leads a franchise. He should be angry. I apologised. I told him I made a mistake and I’m sorry, but it was a call taken for the team,” Suryakumar told The Indian Express.
The India skipper also acknowledged that the conversation with Axar was not easy.
“It was a hard conversation. He took it in his stride and we talked it through the next day,” he added.
Despite the disappointment of the heavy defeat against South Africa, Suryakumar believes that the match became a crucial turning point in India’s campaign.
“India vs South Africa was the eye-opener. I never had any doubt in this team, but it tightened our screws. After that there was no option of coming back,” he said.
Following the setback, the team adopted a knockout-style mindset for the remainder of the tournament.
“For us, Zimbabwe was a pre-quarter-final. West Indies was the quarter-final. Then the semis and the final. We had to play every game like a knockout,” Suryakumar explained.
India responded strongly after the defeat, winning their remaining Super 8 matches before beating England national cricket team in the semi-final and overcoming New Zealand national cricket team in the final to secure the championship.
