"What was Axar Patel doing at No. 4?" - Aakash Chopra questions India's batting order in 2nd ODI vs West Indies

Aakash Chopra has questioned India's batting order in the second ODI against the West Indies, including Axar Patel playing at No. 4.

Axar managed a solitary run off eight deliveries as the Men in Blue were bowled out for 181 after being asked to bat first in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Saturday, July 29. Shai Hope and Co. chased down the below-par target with six wickets and 80 deliveries to spare to draw level in the three-match series.

While reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra criticized India for batting Axar at No. 4, elaborating:

"Axar Patel was sent at No. 4 here - how, why, when, where? I have a lot of respect and admiration for Axar but Axar is never going to play at No. 4. What are his chances of playing for India at No. 4 from the World Cup or the Asia Cup perspective? I don't see him playing there in 50-over cricket."

The former Indian opener added:

"I have another question - is it tenable? Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill will open and Virat Kohli will play at No. 3 and all three are right-handers. If you want a left-right combination so much, will you play a left-hander by sending one of them down the order? That's not going to happen - so what was Axar Patel doing at No. 4?"

Axar was sent to bat at No. 4 at the fall of Ishan Kishan's wicket, probably to maintain a left-right combination in the middle. However, the move did not yield the desired results as the spin-bowling all-rounder gloved a Romario Shepherd short ball to Hope behind the wickets.

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"What is the logic?" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson batting at No. 3

Sanju Samson scored nine runs off 19 deliveries.

Aakash Chopra questioned the logic behind batting Sanju Samson at No. 3, saying:

"You saw Sanju Samson at No. 3 this time. You saw Suryakumar Yadav in the last match. Surya in one match and Sanju in the second - what is the logic? Is Sanju an option for No. 3 going forward if he played at No. 3 here? Did you decide in just one match that you don't need Surya at No. 3 but at No. 6. Again, makes very little sense."

The reputed commentator acknowledged that Ishan Kishan performed well as an opener in both ODIs. However, he asked whether the wicketkeeper-batter is being looked at for that role, stating:

"Ishan Kishan is doing well. He has struck two half-centuries in two matches. So he is doing his job as a third opener and wicketkeeper but he is not going to play there. You slotted him at No. 4 in the first match because you need a left-hander in the middle and you are not playing him at that number."

Chopra concluded by observing that Hardik Pandya's failure with the bat is a bit of an issue. He added that Suryakumar Yadav too hasn't helped his chances of making it to India's World Cup squad with below-par scores in both ODIs.