India coach Ryan ten Doeschate explained why Washington Sundar was selected ahead of Axar Patel after the humiliating defeat to South Africa in the Super 8 stage of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
The defending champions suffered a heavy 76 run loss to the Proteas in Ahmedabad, which ended their 12 match winning streak in the T20 World Cup. The decision to leave out Axar Patel did not work in India’s favour, but Ryan ten Doeschate clarified why Axar was dropped and why Washington Sundar was included in the playing XI.
Speaking at the post match press conference, Ryan ten Doeschate made it clear that the selection call involved deeper tactical thinking than many assumed. He said the support staff had carefully studied South Africa and marked Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton and David Miller as the key batters who could change the game.
With only one spin option available in the combination, the team management opted for a player who could make an impact early in the innings. While Axar Patel has the ability to bowl in the powerplay, the coaches feel that Washington Sundar has recently improved his control and effectiveness in that phase, which influenced their final decision.
“In our analysis, we felt the biggest threats were going to be Quinton de Kock, Ryan Rickelton and David Miller. When you can only pick one of the two options, we leaned towards someone who could bowl in the powerplay. Axar can bowl in the powerplay occasionally, of course. But we feel we’ve got Washington to a point where he’s found a way to be effective in that phase,” Ryan ten Doeschate said.
The India assistant coach also admitted that maybe they made a mistake by not picking Axar. Jasprit Bumrah took the early wickets of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton, which reduced the need for spin in the powerplay. As a result, Washington Sundar bowled only two overs, conceded 17 runs and did not take a wicket. He also scored just 11 runs off 11 balls with the bat.
On the other hand, Axar Patel has taken two wickets in each match he has played in this tournament.
“We spent so much time in deliberating. We were looking at match-ups. Hindsight, it looked like the wrong decision. Take nothing away from Axar. Very disappointed. Don’t except someone to give the world cup on a platter. We are allowed one mess-up. Guys can produce a turnaround. Two big games coming up,” he added.
ALSO READ:
Batting first, the Proteas were reduced to 20/3 at one stage. However, Dewald Brevis and David Miller added 97 runs for the partnership, which helped them recover and post 187/7. Brevis scored 45, Miller made 63, and Tristan Stubbs remained unbeaten on 44 off 24 balls.
In reply, India were under pressure from the start as they lost three wickets in the powerplay. The top order failed to deliver. Only Shivam Dube scored 42 runs, while Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya scored 18 each. India were bowled out for 111.
With this loss, the road to the semi final has become difficult for India. They will next face Zimbabwe on February 26 and West Indies on March 1. India will need to win both matches by big margins to stay in contention.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
