“With all due respect, I disagree” - Robin Uthappa slams Gautam Gambhir for too many batting order changes after 2nd T20I loss to SA

Former Indian keeper-batter Robin Uthappa has slammed the Indian team management, headed by Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav, for too many batting order changes in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa. 

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Notably, India suffered a 51-run defeat to South Africa in the second T20I in Chandigarh as the five-match series is currently levelled at 1-1. Speaking on Star Sports, Uthappa disagreed with Gambhir’s decision to fluctuate the batting order.

Interestingly, all-rounder Axar Patel was promoted up the order at No.3 in the second T20I, and he could score only 21 runs off 21 balls with a four and a six. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, who came in at No.4, could score only five runs off four balls.

"Well, honestly, that's not how I see it. I'm only going by his words. In the pre-series press conference, he said the opening pair is set, but everyone else are moving pieces who must be flexible. With all due respect, I disagree,” Uthappa said on StarSports.

“When you're chasing a big score, your solid batters - your best batters - should walk in. If you send a pinch-hitter, then he must play like one. If Axar was sent as a pinch-hitter today, he shouldn't have scored 21 off 21; he should've gone hard and gotten out trying. But even that plan doesn't convince me. After losing a top batter in the first or second over, you need stability at the crease. Something feels off here, and India must fix it before it becomes a habit," he added.

Furthermore, Uthappa requested Gautam Gambhir to have a fixed batting order for the top three batting positions and keep the rest of the order flexible to achieve better results. Also, the former cricketer asserted that this might hurt the Indian team at a crucial moment during the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

"Your top three must be fixed, whether you're setting a total or chasing one. These are specialist roles. Flexibility has its place, but that comes after the first six overs, once you've built a foundation. You can't build that foundation when players don't know their roles on a given day. Using a pinch-hitter is fine only in the right scenario - for example, if Abhishek gets out early and you maintain the left-right combination while still sending your best batter. Had he come in at one-drop, he would've gotten around 60 balls; instead, he walked in at No. 4. This constant experimentation has been going on for a while, and I worry it will hurt India at a crucial stage of a major tournament. You don't want that happening at a World Cup,” he concluded.

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