Gautam Gambhir slammed for batting KL Rahul at No. 6 after Axar Patel in 2nd ODI

Rain interrupted India's 2nd ODI against New Zealand at Wellington on November 7, 2026, forcing an early finish with India at 113 for 7 in 26 overs. The side finished four runs ahead of the DLS par score, securing a four-run victory in the abandoned match. Rohit Sharma opened the innings, followed by captain Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul at wicketkeeper and Axar Patel in the middle order.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir's decision to promote Axar Patel to No. 5 ahead of KL Rahul at No. 6 has drawn sharp criticism from former India captain Kris Srikkanth. Rahul remained unbeaten on 26 off 38 balls, striking 2 fours and 2 sixes in challenging conditions, yet Srikkanth questioned why a player of Rahul's calibre was positioned lower in the order.

Srikkanth emphasised Rahul's proven record at higher positions and his value as a marquee player in the Indian setup. The former captain highlighted how Rahul's composure in difficult conditions made his placement at No. 6 particularly questionable, especially given his historical success at Nos. 3 and 4.

"He's the only one who looked comfortable in the second ODI. Once the conditions are difficult, only two players step up - Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. If Rahul got out early in the last match, India were finished. But what justice is it to send Rahul at No.6 after Axar Patel? How can you justify Axar Patel batting ahead of him?," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

"Gautam Gambhir needs to understand Rahul is a marquee player. He has scored centuries at No.3 and 4 for India. Yet, he is being reduced to such a role. It's gross injustice," he added.

How did India's bowlers perform?

India's bowling attack impressed in the rain-affected contest, with young pacer Gurnoor Brar delivering a standout performance. Brar claimed a career-best 4 for 30, demonstrating his effectiveness in ODI cricket. Srikkanth praised the broader quality of India's pace attack when conditions favoured them, noting their consistent strength across different eras.

"Gurnoor Brar is pretty good in ODIs and Tests. It's in T20s that he's a problem. But the young Indian pacers have really impressed. Indian pacers have always delivered when conditions favour them, not just now, but for years, since the Javagal Srinath days. But on normal wickets, Indian pacers always get smashed," Srikkanth said.