India vice-captain Axar Patel hints at flexible middle order, emphasises quick decision-making in T20Is

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 20 (ANI): India's vice-captain Axar Patel has suggested that apart from the opening pair, everyone in the batting line-up can have flexible roles in the T20I format. He made the remarks ahead of the five-match series against England.
During India's recent expedition in T20Is, Axar has been effectively used as a floater. The decision led to a massive surge in Axar's performance.
Untill the end of 2022, Axar averaged 21.26 and struck at 131.25 in the T20s. Since the beginning of 2023, the southpaw's performances have significantly upped, reflected in a 30.32 average and 145.62 strike rate.
His versatility was up for display, with India, Delhi Capitals and Gujarat using him under different circumstances. Axar has struck six fifties in the last two years while coming in at numbers 3, 4, 6 and 7.
Not only Axar, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh and captain Suryakumar Yadav, have been effectively used as floaters.
"Batting-wise, it's not just with me, but we spoke in 2023-24 itself that the openers are fixed, but everyone from Nos. 3 to 7 have been told that they can come into bat anytime, in any situation. It is not just that one batter will bat at a particular position. Our middle order will come to bat depending on the match situation, what kind of bowlers are bowling at the time, which match-up works well," Axar told reporters on Monday, according to ESPNcricinfo.
"We've spoken about that, how we can all be floaters, be it coming in early or obviously finishing. This is not just for me, but for everyone from No. 3 and below, especially if they are in good touch in the nets. We will adjust accordingly. In T20Is, how you use your batters is so crucial, so this is an important factor in batting," he added.
Axar will step into the stadium to face England with the added responsibility of playing Suryakumar's deputy role. The 31-year-old acknowledged that he would need to learn to take difficult calls.
"It has just been a day, but as part of the leadership group, there is an extra responsibility. The T20I side is settled, so there's not much pressure, but there are small decisions that need making, and during the game, I need to work closely with Suryakumar," Axar said.
"As part of the leadership group, you have to learn to take harsh decisions. We have spoken about sharing our genuine opinions, and that will help build trust in this group. The T20I format is such that it is so fast that you have to make decisions quickly, so the larger conversations [with the coaches] is about how to do that," he added.
The five-match T20I series will begin on Wednesday at the iconic Eden Gardens. The squad resembles the one that toured South Africa in November last year.
The T20I series will be followed by a three-match ODI series, which will alow India to bolster its preparation and find the perfect combination for next month's Champions Trophy.
India squad for T20I series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk). (ANI)