Axar Patel attacks Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir

Team India all-rounder Axar Patel said the 2024 T20 World Cup final was a turning point in his career as he stopped being seen as a backup option in the national team. Axar said he never considered left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja as competition and instead focused on improving his game.

Team India will play a three-match ODI series against New Zealand, starting with the first match in Vadodara on Sunday, January 11. The BCCI recently announced the squad, with Shubman Gill returning to the Indian cricket team and taking over as captain, while Axar missed out on selection for the series.

Axar Patel left out again as selectors prefer Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar for ODIs

Axar Patel was not picked for India’s last two ODI series, despite performing well earlier, including during the tour of Australia. Many expected him to retain his place in the team after these performances.

Your daily dose of cricket!

Ravindra Jadeja was selected ahead of Axar for the series against South Africa and New Zealand. Over the past year, Axar’s bowling has remained strong and he has improved his batting, especially against fast bowlers, making him more confident and reliable with the bat.

The selectors continued with Jadeja and Washington Sundar, the same combination used in the previous ODI series. Axar may feel unlucky to miss out on this opportunity as he has been an important white-ball player for India in recent years, and his absence could affect the team’s balance.

I never thought I would be abandoned again – Axar Patel

Speaking to Times of India, Axar Patel said that he is no longer a back-up option for Ravindra Jadeja as the management has created space for the two all-rounders to play together. Axar added that after the T20 World Cup final, he felt confident about his place in the team and did not expect to be dropped.

“Absolutely. Since then or just before the T20 World Cup, I was never considered as a replacement for Jaddu bhai. A place was created for me. Jaddu bhai and I started playing together,” Patel told TOI.

“I never competed with Jaddu bhai. When I was training, I was thinking what else I could add to my game so that they could never let me down. After the T20 WC final, I never thought that I would be let down again.”

Axar Patel strengthens T20I spot, pushes for regular ODI role

Axar Patel cemented his place in the Indian T20I team after Ravindra Jadeja opted out of the format. Even though India has other strong bowlers like Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, Axar can adapt well to different match situations.

He can play at any stage, including the Powerplay, and uses a tight straight line to control the score. With the bat, he provides flexibility and can move up the order when the team needs balance. Because of this overall value, he is equally important as Hardik Pandya.

In ODIs, Axar is still not a regular choice, but he has made his case through domestic cricket. Playing for Gujarat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he recently scored his first List A hundred and followed it with another quick half-century, showing his growing impact in the 50-over format.

Also read: Smriti Mandhana harassed live on TV? RCB captain angry with cameraman for invading his personal space