Axar Patel was given the vice-captaincy only recently and suddenly it has been taken away!
By Ajay Motiwala
Mumbai: The sudden decision to strip Indian spin all-rounder Axar Patel of the T20 team’s vice-captaincy has become as hot a topic as Shreyas Iyer’s omission from the Asia Cup squad. In this backdrop, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif criticized the move, saying: “I hope Axar was at least informed in advance that the vice-captaincy was being taken away from him, and that he didn’t have to learn about it only through a press conference. He has done nothing wrong to deserve such an abrupt removal. He has every right to know the reasons behind this.”
Called the “Second Jadeja”
Just as Shreyas Iyer is considered a batsman who could fit into any team in the world in any format, Axar Patel is regarded as an all-rounder who fits seamlessly into any Indian team. Born in Anand, the 31-year-old has represented India in 153 matches across formats, scoring around 2,000 runs and taking nearly 200 wickets. Since debuting in 2014, he has often been compared to “the second Ravindra Jadeja.” A left-handed batsman and left-arm spinner like Jadeja, Axar has repeatedly delivered as a reliable all-rounder, helping India win many matches.
Valuable in the World Cup
In January–February this year, India defeated England 4–1 in a five-match T20I series at home, where Axar was the vice-captain. He finished with six wickets in the series, ranking fourth among all bowlers, and his economy rate of 7.07 was the best among those with five or more wickets. Later, at the T20 World Cup in June 2024, Axar played a decisive role in India’s title win. In the semifinal against England, he took 3 wickets for 23 runs and won the Player of the Match award. In the final versus South Africa, with India reeling at 34/3, he rescued the innings with 47 runs off 31 balls, before also dismissing Tristan Stubbs to swing the game in India’s favor. It’s worth recalling that in February 2021, Axar had stunned England in a Test at Ahmedabad by taking 11 wickets in the match — despite the presence of stalwarts like R. Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah. He has one Man of the Match award in ODIs and seven in T20 internationals.
Competition from Varun and Kuldeep
Axar has scored 531 T20I runs at a strike rate of 139.32, while also claiming 71 wickets at an impressive average of 22.12. Yet, with fellow spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav also included in the Asia Cup squad, his place in the playing XI cannot be considered certain. Against this backdrop, the sudden decision to strip him of the vice-captaincy — and hand it instead to Shubman Gill — has shocked Indian cricket.
Is there a lobby against Axar?
Much like in Shreyas Iyer’s case, whispers are growing that a lobby (or syndicate) might be working against Axar within Indian cricket. Not only is he no longer Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy in the T20 side, but even his place in the XI is in doubt. Though he is an all-format spin all-rounder, Axar hasn’t played a Test in over 18 months. Recently, Washington Sundar batted well in the Test series against England but his bowling did not impress.
Captaincy Experience with Delhi
A father of one, Axar has previously played for Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab in the IPL. This year, he captained Delhi Capitals a campaign where the team started well but eventually finished fifth in the points table. With his record and consistency, many hope Axar will soon regain the T20 vice-captaincy for Team India.