Team India all-rounder Axar Patel has said that the T20 World Cup 2024 final was a turning point in his career, as he stopped being seen as a backup option in the national team. Akshar said that he never saw left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja as a competitor and instead focused on improving his game.
Team India will play a three-match ODI series against New Zealand, the first match of which will be held on Sunday, January 11 in Vadodara. The BCCI recently announced the squad, with Shubman Gill returning to the Indian cricket team and taking over as captain, while Axar missed selection for the series.
Axar Patel left out again as selectors prefer Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar for ODIs
Despite performing well previously, including the tour of Australia, Axar Patel has not been selected for India’s last two ODI series. Many expected him to retain his place in the team after those performances.
Ravindra Jadeja has been selected ahead of Akshar for the series against South Africa and New Zealand. Axar’s bowling has been strong over the past year and he has improved his batting, especially against fast bowlers, becoming more confident and reliable with the bat.
The selectors have continued with Jadeja and Washington Sundar, the same combination that was used in the previous ODI series. Axar’s omission may seem unfortunate, as he has been a key white-ball player for India in recent years, and his absence could affect the balance of the team.
I never thought that I would be thrown out again – Akshar Patel
Speaking to Times of India, Axar Patel said that he is no longer a backup option for Ravindra Jadeja as the management has made room for both the all-rounders to play together. Akshar said that after the T20 World Cup final, he was confident about his place in the team and did not expect to be dropped.
“Absolutely. From then on or just before the T20 World Cup, I was never seen as a replacement for Jaddu Bhai. A space was created for me. Jaddu Bhai and I started playing together,” Patel told TOI.
“I was never competing with Jaddu bhai. When I practiced, I used to think what more can I add to my game so that he can never drop me. After the T20 World Cup final, I never thought that I would be dropped again.”
Axar Patel cements place in T20Is, pushes for regular role in ODIs
After Ravindra Jadeja’s retirement from this format, Axar Patel has strengthened his place in India’s T20 team. Even though India has other strong bowlers like Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, Axar can adjust well in different match situations.
He can bowl at any stage, including the powerplay, and uses a tight, straight line to control the scoring. With the bat, he provides flexibility and can come up the order when the team needs balance. Because of this all-round value, he is as important as Hardik Pandya.
In ODIs, Akshar is still not a regular choice, but he has staked a strong case through domestic cricket. Playing for Gujarat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he recently scored his maiden List A century and followed it up with another quickfire half-century, showing his growing influence in the 50-over format.
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