Team India is still searching for the ideal No 7 in the line-up who can come out and play big shots.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hoped that Axar Patel would eventually come good with the bat and fulfill his potential to be a good No 7 batsman.
"It takes time at international level, especially for people batting lower down. As a bowler he got hit in one of the games, but otherwise has been good. We all know he can bat and with more games under his belt and getting to play a few more deliveries off the fast bowlers, hopefully he will keep getting better. Definitely at No 7 you need batsmen to play big shots. Otherwise the batting line-up looks very thin," Dhoni said.
He hinted that the three-spinner strategy, employed in this game by drafting in Amit Mishra to complement Harbhajan Singh and Axar Patel, had worked well.
"Quite a few times our fast bowlers have not bowled their full quota of 10 overs if you see the stats you are inclined to use the spinners. Also Mishra has done really well. He's somebody who is getting us wickets also. You want to take wickets in middle overs to put pressure on the opposition," Dhoni said.
"That's the reason we included an extra spinner and I think the three-spinner strategy is working, but still the crucial slot is the No 7 slot especially with Suresh Raina not scoring it becomes a bit difficult."
