Rayudu Questions Axar Patel’s No.5 Role After ODI Struggle

Former India batter Ambati Rayudu has criticised the team management’s decision to promote Axar Patel to No.5 during the second ODI against New zealand in Wellington on Saturday, November 7. Axar managed just seven runs from 17 deliveries before being dismissed, raising questions about India’s middle-order combination and batting strategy in challenging conditions.

India entered the chase with a modest target of 135 after bowling New Zealand out for 134 in 41 overs. However, the hosts’ seamers made effective use of the movement on offer, putting India’s top order under pressure and turning what appeared to be a straightforward chase into a difficult contest.

Ambati Rayudu questions Axar Patel’s promotion to No.5

India captain Shubman Gill chose to field first under overcast conditions. Gurnoor Brar delivered an impressive performance with the ball, claiming a career-best four wickets for 30 runs to help restrict New Zealand to 134.

The match was reduced to 47 overs per side after a wet outfield delayed the toss by an hour. Despite the low target, New Zealand’s fast bowlers found movement and quickly disrupted India’s batting line-up.

Jacob Duffy struck early, dismissing Shubman Gill for a golden duck before removing Virat Kohli for seven. Kyle Jamieson then accounted for Rohit Sharma, who scored 23, in the ninth over.

With India struggling at 39 for three in the ninth over, Axar Patel was promoted to No.5. The decision placed the left-handed all-rounder in a demanding situation, with the ball still moving and New Zealand maintaining an attacking field.

Axar scored seven runs from 17 balls before attempting to attack a short delivery from Matthew Fisher in the 13th over. He tried to guide the ball over third man but failed to clear the fielder, with Jacob Duffy completing the catch. India were reduced to 47 for four in 12.5 overs, leaving KL Rahul to handle another difficult phase of the chase.

Rayudu questioned whether Axar was suited to batting at No.5 in those conditions. While acknowledging the all-rounder’s ability to contribute lower down the order, he argued that India needed a specialist batter in that position who could manage difficult situations.

“I just felt that Axar Patel, in these given conditions, maybe he is not ready to bat at No.5. At No.6 or No.7, he can still come in and do a job. But I just feel that at No.5, you need a proper batter who can handle these conditions. If Axar Patel can do lower down the order, maybe we can look at Ishan Kishan going forward, because we need a batter to bat along with Shreyas and KL. We either need to get Naman Dhir up or get Ishan Kishan into the mix, because that is the only one area where I have seen a little bit of a lack. It is a good lesson for the Indian team going forward, but all in all, we played some decent cricket,” he said on Cricbuzz.

Rayudu also named Ishan Kishan and Naman Dhir as possible options for the No.5 position. His comments focused on the need for a recognised batter who could support Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in the middle order, particularly when early wickets fall.

India’s middle order recovers after Axar’s dismissal

Axar’s promotion to No.5 was not an isolated decision. He had also batted in that position during the first ODI in Auckland, where he was dismissed for a two-ball duck. His second consecutive low score at No.5 has renewed discussion about whether the role suits his batting strengths.

After Axar’s dismissal in Wellington, Shreyas Iyer scored 30 while KL Rahul remained unbeaten on 26 from 38 deliveries. The pair added 39 runs, helping India recover from the early collapse and bring the chase back under control.

Rain interrupted the match when India were 113 for seven after 26 overs. India were eventually declared winners after the contest was abandoned, having moved four runs ahead of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) par score.

Murali Kartik also questions Axar Patel’s batting approach

Former India spinner Murali Kartik also expressed concerns about the decision to send Axar Patel at No.5. However, his criticism focused not only on the batting position but also on the role Axar appeared to be expected to perform after entering the crease.

Kartik suggested that if India wanted to use Axar as a floater at No.5, the instructions should encourage him to play aggressively and put the opposition bowlers under pressure. In his view, the all-rounder should have been given the freedom to attack rather than attempt to settle in at the crease.

“At that point of time, if you need to send Axar Patel, it has to be with a brief that he is going to have a go at everything and try and upset the bowlers. The message should be that even if we lose you, if you get a quick-fire 15-20 and then you throw the bowlers off guard, then that is a different thing. But it seemed as if he was trying to come and apply himself, which was not needed at that point,” he said.

Kartik’s assessment highlighted a difference between using Axar as a conventional middle-order batter and deploying him as an attacking option. He felt that a quick contribution of 15 to 20 runs could have served a purpose if the intention was to disrupt New Zealand’s bowling plans.

Why India have backed Axar Patel at No.5

Axar has occupied the No.5 position in India’s white-ball set-up since early 2025. The team initially used him in that role to provide a left-handed batting option in the middle order, particularly to counter spin and offer flexibility in the batting line-up.

He delivered an important contribution during India’s Champions Trophy triumph over New Zealand in Dubai, scoring 42 while batting at No.5. That performance strengthened the case for using him higher up the order in suitable match situations.

India have also relied on Axar’s flexibility while Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja are absent. His ability to contribute with both bat and ball gives the team another combination option, although his recent dismissals in the first two ODIs have raised questions about whether the No.5 role should be reconsidered.

Rayudu’s suggestions of Ishan Kishan and Naman Dhir provide possible alternatives for the position, while Kartik’s comments underline the importance of giving Axar a clearly defined role if he continues to bat higher up. India’s team management will now have to consider how best to balance the middle order and use the available players in different match situations.