Steyn, Uthappa explode at Gambhir and Suryakumar for logicless experiments: ‘Stop it before it blows up in World Cup’

By Admin

12 Dec, 2025

India’s preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup has hit an unexpected controversy after the second T20I in New Chandigarh, where the team suffered a 51-run defeat against South Africa. What sparked the biggest debate wasn’t just the loss  it was the surprising decision to send Axar Patel at No. 3, pushing captain Suryakumar Yadav down to No. 4.

This move not only raised eyebrows but also triggered sharp criticism from two of cricket’s most respected voices: Dale Steyn and Robin Uthappa.

A Costly Experiment in a High-Pressure Chase
Chasing a daunting 214, India lost Shubman Gill to his first-ever international golden duck. With early pressure mounting, everyone expected Suryakumar Yadav India’s best T20 batter to walk in at one-down. Instead, Gautam Gambhir’s decision to promote Axar Patel puzzled fans and experts alike.

The idea backfired. Axar scored a run-a-ball 21, offering no momentum. Suryakumar, already struggling with a lean patch in T20Is, came in at No. 4 and managed only 5 off 4 balls.

The batting order shuffle left the team in disarray, and India never recovered.

“Stop Before It Blows Up”: Uthappa’s Furious Response
Speaking on JioHotstar, Robin Uthappa didn’t hold back. He criticised the instability in the batting order   especially at such a crucial stage before a World Cup.

He pointed to Suryakumar’s pre-series comments about flexible roles:
“The opening pair is set, but everyone else are moving pieces,” SKY had said.

Uthappa strongly disagreed:
“When you’re chasing a big score, your best batters must walk in. If you send a pinch-hitter, he has to play like one. Axar wasn’t doing that   nor should he have been put in that position. India must fix this instability before it becomes a habit.”

He stressed that the team cannot afford such confusion in big tournaments:
“These experiments might ‘blow up’ at the World Cup if not stopped now.”

Steyn: “Thrown Axar to the Wolves”
Dale Steyn echoed Uthappa’s frustration, calling the move a “major mistake”.

“He’s your best batter. This is not the time for trial and error,” Steyn said.
He argued that India overcomplicated a simple situation:
“Sending Axar there felt like throwing him to the wolves. What was his role? If he was supposed to slog, fine   but nothing aligned with the situation.”

Steyn also questioned the logic behind losing a right-hander (Gill) and sending in another left-hander (Axar), disrupting the balance further.
“In a match where you could’ve gone 2–1 up, I’d have kept things simple,” he added.

Fix the Top Three   or Risk a World Cup Disaster
Both former cricketers agreed that India’s top three must be fixed going into the World Cup. Constant shuffling, they warned, is destroying role clarity.

Uthappa summed it up perfectly:
“Your top three are specialists  their roles must be permanent. Flexibility works only after the first six overs. You can’t build a foundation when players don’t know where they bat on any given day.”

He also noted that Suryakumar would have had around 60 balls had he walked in at No. 3:
“Instead, he walked in at No. 4. These unnecessary experiments have been going on for a while, and it will hurt India when it matters most.”

Conclusion
As India inches closer to the T20 World Cup, these concerns aren’t merely criticism they’re warnings. Steyn and Uthappa, both seasoned professionals, understand the cost of unpredictability at the highest level.