"How can you send Axar ahead of Karthik"-Ex-South African skipper questions India's approach in 2nd T20

The Indian batting line-up has put in two different performances in the first two T20Is against South Africa. Having scored 211 in the first match, the Men in Blue could only manage 148/6 in their second match. The total was always going to be very difficult and that is what happened in the end.

South Africa chased down the target after a shaky start and won the match by four wickets. But one thing that didn't work out for the home team was the experiment of sending Axar Patel over Dinesh Karthik in the second game in Cuttack. The left-hander could only score 10 runs off 11 balls.

On the other hand, the veteran wicket-keeper remained not out on 30 runs off 21 balls, and it was his last over cameo that helped India reach a respectable score of 148. He scored 21 runs off the last over. Former South African skipper Greame Smith looked confused over the decision to send Axar over DK.

After the match, in a discussion on Star Sports, Smith said that he still couldn't understand why a "bits and pieces" all-rounder bats ahead of a frontline batter. He also added that DK is the most experienced batter in India and has played enough for India.

Smith stated, "How can you send Axar Patel ahead of DK. This is just mind-blowing for me."

Former Indian legandary batsman Sunil Gavaskar also looked baffled by that decision. He said that this is a big question whether DK could have come ahead of Axar, but when you talk about finishers, the teams think that they should come to play in the last five overs.

Gavaskar also said that they should have sent earlier as per the situation because they can work the ball around and when the time comes they can start hitting sixes. Speaking of the game, India did start really well in order to defend the target and got three wickets in the power-play.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was exceptional with the ball, but none of the other bowlers supported him. Despite his excellent figure of 4/13, India couldn't defend the target. Both teams will now lock horns in the next match on Tuesday in Vishakhapatnam.