'It's Patel In My Book', Ex-Opener Picks Axar Ahead Of Ravindra Jadeja For T20 WC 2024
Axar Patel has been impressive in AFG T20Is [AP]
Former Indian cricketer and commentator Akash Chopra wants Axar Patel to feature in India's playing XI in the upcoming T20 World Cup over Ravindra Jadeja but fears that won't be the case.
Axar Patel bounced back in style from a quadriceps injury, which ruled him out of the ODI World Cup 2023. The spinner recently rattled the Afghanistan batting lineup during the second T20 international of the three-game series in Indore.
Axar, with his disciplined line and length, removed captain Ibrahim Zadran and a dangerous Gulbadin Naib to restrict the visitors to a below-par total of 172. In his quota of four overs, Patel picked two wickets, conceding just 17 runs, and earned a Player of the Match award.
However, cricket analyst Aakash Chopra doubts Axar Patel's selection for the upcoming T20 World Cup despite the spinner's heroic performance.
He highlighted the problematic trend wherein the spinner gets dropped after claiming the Player of the Match award. Thus, he fears that Axar will not witness another daylight in Bangalore.
"Axar Patel was given the Player of the Match award. I am scared when Axar gets the Player of the Match because he was dropped when he got two successive Player of the Match awards last time. They didn't take him to South Africa and don't know what they will do now as well," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
The analyst would have gone with Axar over Jadeja if it were him. But he knows that won't be the case because Jadeja was the vice-captain of the T20 team during the South Africa tour.
"There is no clarity yet whether Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel is your first spinner who can bat at No. 7. It's Axar Patel in my book. However, because the Indian team made Jaddu the vice-captain in the last series, maybe the team is thinking about Ravindra Jadeja," he added.
Regardless, Aakash Chopra seeks clarity on India's first-choice spin all-around option regarding the composition of the T20 World Cup squad. With a mere six months left before the big event, the commentator advised the team management to avoid confusion and have some sort of clarity at every position.
Ravindra Jadeja has been rested from the T20 series against Afghanistan, keeping the coming Test series against England in mind. He suffered a back spasm during the South Africa tour, and thus, the BCCI wants to avert any injury risks ahead of the pivotal series.
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