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The announcement made by the selection panel led by Ajit Agarkar is full of surprises. Like many other star players, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are also not named for the one-off Test match against Afghanistan. India will face Afghanistan from June 6 to June 10 for the Whites match. Due to the summer conditions, spinners are expected to play a key role at the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh PCA Stadium in Punjab.
Since the conditions are considered spin-friendly, why do the selectors ignore brilliant spinners like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel? Chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, provides an explanation of the decision.
Why was Ravindra Jadeja removed from the Test team?
According to Ajit Agarkar, Jadeja remains their leading spinner in this format. He rested the spin bowling all-rounder during the Test.
Agarkar said about Jadeja’s exclusion from the team, “Ravindra Jadeja has been rested for the Tests. He is an integral part of the Test team and remains our No. 1 spinner. Regarding ODI cricket, we want to assess our options, especially keeping in mind the conditions in South Africa.”
Why was Akshar Patel not selected for the Afghanistan series?
While Jadeja is mostly considered a Test cricketer these days, Axar Patel is an all-format player for the Men in Blue. Agarkar says that he has selected the team for the Test and ODI series against Afghanistan keeping in mind the upcoming ODI World Cup. Therefore, he focused on bringing some new talent into international cricket.
“With respect to one-day cricket, we have 15-16 months left for that World Cup. Somewhere along the way, we obviously want to try and assess what our options are, especially keeping in mind the conditions in South Africa, and give some of the new guys a bit of experience. We know what Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel can do. That’s the time we try to give some opportunities to some other guys,” he said on behalf of Axar Patel.
Test statistics of Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel in brief
37 year old Ravindra Jadeja has played 89 tests for Team India so far. During this period, he scored a total of 4095 runs at an average of 38.27 with the help of six centuries and twenty-eight half-centuries. With the ball, he has taken 348 wickets, including 5-wicket hauls. He played his last Test match for India on November 22, 2025 against South Africa in Guwahati.
Whereas 32 year old Akshar Patel has played only 15 tests for India so far. In these 15 matches, the spin bowling all-rounder has taken 57 wickets and scored 688 runs. Patel played his last Test match for the national team on November 14, 2025, when Team India was against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. More than a Test cricketer, the board has so far mostly used him for limited overs cricket.
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