Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran spinner, criticised India’s management of the match against South Africa. The ex-India star did not hold back as he criticised the team management’s selection decisions, calling them costly mistakes in a high-pressure ICC tournament.

Ashwin openly questioned the decision to drop Axar Patel from the playing XI. He stressed that while match-ups are important in franchise cricket, global tournaments demand consistency and faith in proven performers. According to him, Axar has been India’s Most Valuable Player in T20 cricket and leaving him out of a crucial Super 8 encounter was a serious error.

He pointed to Axar’s impact in the previous T20 World Cup final, where the all-rounder stitched a vital 72-run stand with Virat Kohli to push India past 170. Ashwin argued that Axar has repeatedly delivered under pressure and could have provided the same stability against South Africa. In his view, India lacked middle-order balance and composure — something Axar consistently brings to the side.

Ashwin also slammed the decision to play Washington Sundar ahead of Axar purely on match-up theory. He made it clear that while Sundar is a quality cricketer, tournament cricket is not the place for excessive experimentation. Stability, he insisted, wins championships.

Another move that baffled Ashwin was sending Rinku Singh at No. 8. He argued that a batter of Rinku’s calibre cannot be pushed so low in the order, especially in a must-win clash. By doing so, India limited their own firepower.

For Ashwin, the defeat was not just about execution on the field. It was about preparation and clarity. His message was blunt: India overthought the contest, ignored a proven match-winner in Axar Patel, and paid the price.