“Axar wasn't happy” - Suryakumar Yadav reveals Axar Patel’s reaction after being benched for South Africa Super8 clash

Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav has finally decided to speak on the team management’s decision to drop Axar Patel for the Super8 clash against South Africa, in which India suffered a 76-run defeat in Ahmedabad.

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Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the grand finale against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, Surya revealed that he and head coach Gautam Gambhir have to make tough calls of benching players despite the decisions upsetting the players.

"Tough calls are taken by Gautam Gambhir and me. Axar wasn't happy when he was dropped, but these things happen. Sanju, we realised we needed, and it was a positive call," Suryakumar told reporters.

Furthermore, Surya also lauded the head coach for his selfless approach, stating that he prioritizes what’s best for the team instead of personal milestones. He went on to add that if required, Gambhir would come out to bat for the team.

"Unka bas chale, toh wo he pad pehen ke aa jaye (If he gets his way, then he would himself come out to bat). He has played in World Cups before and helped the team win. His mantra has always been to take contributions from every player. Cricket is one sport where one or two players cannot help you win the trophy. In every game, all of our players contributed. In the semi-final, that was the case. In a team sport, every batter needs to click for a complete performance," he added.

India squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.

New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (c), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Cole McConchie.

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