Washington over Axar: India's matchup-driven call backfires against South Africa

Under Gautam Gambhir's leadership, leaving out the vice-captain is not unprecedented. Following the recent example of Shubman Gill being dropped, Axar Patel was excluded from the XI for the Super 8 contest against South Africa.

The selection call proved costly as India fell to a David Miller-powered South Africa. The decision to bring in Washington Sundar for Axar, driven by match-ups against three left-handers in South Africa's top five, failed on the night.

India's assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, explained the choice: "We thought the majority of the threat was going to come from the left-handers. We wanted to play the extra batter (Rinku Singh), so it left us with one choice between Washington and Axar, and today we chose to go with Washy."

Washington failed to justify the selection. He bowled two overs for 17 runs without a wicket. The fifth bowling combination of Washington and Shivam Dube conceded 49 runs in four overs for just one wicket. With main spinner Varun Chakaravarthy having an off day, India lacked the support Axar Patel typically provides.

With the bat, Washington scored 11 runs off 11 deliveries, struggling to provide impetus in the chase of 188. In the field, he misjudged two catches, one resulting in a six and the other a four.

Axar Patel, in contrast, has been a proven match-winner over the last two years, with significant contributions in the 2024 World Cup and recently against Pakistan in Colombo. His experience is substantial: 550.3 overs in 162 IPL games, compared to Washington's 186.3 overs in 66 games.

The matchup plan did not materialize. Washington was not called upon to bowl in the Powerplay. By its end, South Africa were 41 for three, with two left-handers dismissed. The third, David Miller, proved unstoppable, taking the match away from India.

The selection was one part of a broader failure. India's fielding was below standard, they bowled two no-balls costing 14 runs, and conceded 20 runs in the final over. The batting unit collapsed, failing to chase 188, with Abhishek Sharma's form a continuing concern.

The 76-run loss is India's first in four years, ending a streak of 12 successive World Cup wins. One more defeat in the remaining two Super 8 games could eliminate them. This setback has severely dented their Net Run Rate and places Suryakumar Yadav's side, previously with a 38-7 record, in a precarious position.