'Being an experienced player, he was angry…': SKY on apologising to Axar

India captain Suryakumar Yadav has opened up about the internal ‘tensions’ that accompanied India’s march to the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup title, revealing he had to apologise to vice-captain Axar Patel for dropping him during the tournament. 

Despite India lifting the trophy for a record third time, the campaign was not without its controversies. Axar, a mainstay of the white-ball squad, was omitted from two fixtures in Ahmedabad, including the shocking Super 8 defeat to South Africa. The 76-run loss triggered intense scrutiny of the team’s tactical decisions, and Suryakumar has now admitted that the all-rounder was far from pleased with the call.

Also read: Charulatha carefully wrapping Player of the Tournament trophy with jersey – adorable moment | WATCH

In a conversation with The Indian Express, the Indian skipper was candid about the fallout. “He was very angry, and he should have been. He’s an experienced player, he leads a franchise. He should be angry. I apologised. I told him I made a mistake and I’m sorry, but it was a call taken for the team,” Suryakumar revealed.

Acknowledging the weight of the moment, he added: “It was a hard conversation. He took it in his stride and we talked it through the next day.”

Also read: World Cup hero’s stealth move: Dube takes 3rd AC train home as wife tactfully deflects curious TTE!

The captain credited the humbling defeat against the Proteas as the catalyst for India's subsequent dominance. Describing the loss as an "eye-opener" that "tightened our screws," the team adopted a ruthless knockout mentality for the remainder of the tournament. India eventually dispatched England in the semi-finals before defeating New Zealand in the final to secure global glory. (With inputs from Agencies)