Gautam Gambhir on Axar Patel’s elevation

After India defeated England 3-0 in the ODI series, coach Gautam Gambhir explained his rationale for promoting Axar Patel up the batting order over KL Rahul in the first two ODIs.
“That’s the way cricket is meant to be played,” Gambhir explained when asked about Axar’s promotion in the batting order. “I know a lot of people talk about it, but that’s the way we got to play the game, and that’s the way cricket should be played. It’s not about the batting order, it’s about who can create what impact. If you have the option of putting a quality left-hand batter in the middle, why won’t you do that?” Gambhir asked.
“Why would you want to have top five as right-handers? We don’t look at averages and stats and all that stuff. We look at who can deliver more at that number. And Axar has done fabulously well. Both the games [in which] he got the opportunity, he delivered for us. I know there will always be talk – there will always be people talking about it – but I think that’s the way we want to go in future as well.”
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Axar scored 52 runs off 47 balls at No 5 in Nagpur and 41 not out in Cuttack.
Gambhir’s fondness for the left-right combination also led to the Indian team picking Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first ODI at the cost of Shreyas Iyer. Iyer did play that game as a replacement for Virat Kohli, who had an injury on his knee.
Despite his preference for right-left combination, Gambhir also said that KL Rahul would be the preferred choice for wicketkeeper rather than Rishabh Pant in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, which will start next week.
“At the moment, KL is a No.1 wicketkeeper for us, and he’s delivered for us,” Gambhir told reporters after the game.