Dropping Axar Patel for IND vs SA game was my mistake, I apologised: Suryakumar Yadav

India lost only one game during their triumphant T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, and it was against South Africa in the Super 8 stage. Washington Sundar played that game instead of Axar Patel. The Men in Blue brought the right-arm off-spinner into the side, probably looking to pose more of a challenge to South Africa's southpaw-heavy batting line-up.

However, Washington failed to make an impact in that game, as he went for 17 runs in two overs and scored a run-a-ball 11 with the bat. After this game, India received considerable flak from fans and experts for dropping Axar, who has won them several games, especially in white-ball cricket.

Suryakumar said that Axar, who is also the vice-captain of the Indian team in T20I cricket, leads a franchise (Delhi Capitals) in the IPL, and was very angry with the decision of being dropped for the game against the Proteas. The Indian skipper also admitted that he had erred and apologised to Axar after the match.

"He (Axar Patel) was very angry — and he should have been. He’s an experienced player, he leads a franchise. He should be angry," Suryakumar said while speaking to the Indian Express.

"I apologised. I told him I made a mistake, and I’m sorry, but it was a call for the team. It was a hard conversation. He took it in his stride and we talked it through the next day," he added.

Axar finished the tournament with an impressive tally of 11 wickets from seven games at an average of 18.63 and a strike rate of 13.63. His economy rate was a decent 8.20, considering India played most of their matches on flat tracks. While the Gujarat all-rounder didn't get too many chances with the bat, he contributed remarkably on the field, especially in the semi-final against England.

Suryakumar, however, did not have a memorable campaign with the bat. Apart from the match-winning half-century he scored against the USA, the right-handed batter couldn't live up to his hype. In nine matches, he aggregated 242 runs at an average of 30.25 and a strike rate of 136.72.