Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Subramaniam Badrinath slammed Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir for overprioritizing matchups in selections amid the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. Gambhir and the coaching staff have come under massive criticism for excluding veteran all-rounder Axar Patel from the playing 11 for their opening Super Eight clash against South Africa.

With the Proteas playing three left-handers in their top five, the Men in Blue preferred off-spinner Washington Sundar over Axar. The move backfired badly as Sundar bowled only two wicketless overs in India’s dismal 76-run defeat.

Talking about Gambhir’s selection methodologies that seemingly prioritize matchups, Badrinath said on his YouTube channel (10:46):

“Seeing things like a batter has failed x number of times in y number of games is fine. But looking beyond these is what the coach should do at the highest level. To figure out if a player is in form and fit, even if numbers are against him, is why you are appointed as a coach. If it’s just numbers, even an analyst for Rs. 50,000 will do that job. You can just keep an analyst as a coach if everything is just based on numbers.”

He continued:

“You’ve been picked as a coach because you’ve played at the highest level, and to see the extra things and not just prioritising matchups. Matchups are only a form of information. It should only add to your strategy and not be your complete strategy. It will never work in sports.”

Axar’s exclusion from India’s last two games has been particularly surprising, considering his impressive performances in the opening three matches, where he took six wickets at an economy rate of 6.63.

“It is about personality and character” – Lakshmipathy Balaji dismisses the importance of matchups

Another former CSK cricketer, Lakshmipathy Balaji, echoed Badrinath’s sentiments, calling for selection based on a player’s intangibles over matchups. Axar Patel has been one of India’s best T20I performers over the past few years, with the ability to bowl and bat at various stages of an innings.

“It should never be about matchups. It is about personality and character. There are only so many options in cricket. What’s the big deal about a left-arm spinner bowling to a left-hander? Has he never bowled to a left-hander in his career? That way, the top order hasn’t scored runs, yet you don’t change them and show them enough confidence. Likewise, a bowler should be given that,” said Balaji (via the aforementioned source).

He continued:

“It’s the bowlers that always suffer in these matchup theories. A batter never suffers even if he has a poor strike rate against a particular type of bowler. Matchups are definitely overrated, and Axar Patel has all the resources covered. He can bat at multiple positions. He’s an exceptional fielder and a great thinker of the game, who can bowl at any stage of the game. Matchups should never be considered for such a value-add cricketer.”

Axar played a vital role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, averaging 23 with the bat at a strike rate of over 139 and picking up nine wickets at an average of under 20.