Sunil Gavaskar backs promoting Axar Patel to five on tricky Wellington pitch

After Rohit Sharma's dismissal at 39/3 in the second ODI in Wellington, India brought Axar Patel into the team at number 6. However, the challenging pitch made it a tough task for the Indian batsman to face the quality Kiwi bowlers. Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar agreed with the decision of sending a left-hander up the order to break the sequence of right-handers.

Gavaskar explained that facing left-handed batters can be tricky for right-handed bowlers as the line and length need to be adjusted, which could create more chances for the batsman. Despite Axar's seven-run performance from seventeen deliveries, Gavaskar believed that such a move can work at times. India captain Shubman Gill admitted that while he thought a target of 134 would be easy to chase, the Wellington pitch made it a difficult task. He expressed happiness in getting the win, despite losing two extra wickets than desired.