Emerging from Jadeja's shadows, Axar Patel threatens to disrupt pecking order
"Mera aapne jaise record dekha hi hoga ki, kuch bhi kar sakta hoon main to (you have seen my record, I can do anything)," said Axar Patel humorously while talking to the press after yet another impressive performance in a T20I for India, this time against Afghanistan in Mohali.
While he said it funnily, it showed the confidence and belief that Axar had in his ability to deliver whatever the team wanted. The disappointment of missing out on the ODI World Cup due to an injury has seemingly gone and the left-arm spinner seems more focused than ever on the future.
A player-of-the-match performance against Afghanistan in Indore, Axar Patel's third in four T20Is, saw him reach a unique milestone. He became just the second Indian player to complete a double of 2000 runs and 200 wickets in the T20 format. The first Indian player to achieve this feat? None other than Ravindra Jadeja.
Quite a few eyebrows were raised when Jadeja was not only named in the T20I squad against South Africa but also made the vice-captain. On the contrary, Axar Patel was named in the ODI squad but surprisingly missed out on the T20I team.
The all-rounder delivered a sensational player-of-the-match performance with figures of 3/16 against Australia in Raipur, on the very next day of the squad announcement. When asked how he felt about his T20I exclusion, Axar casually mentioned that it was on expected lines that Ravindra Jadeja replaced him.
The way Axar Patel brushed off the snub gave an insight into the pecking order that the Indian team were following and the clarity that every player in and around the national setup had. However, there's a fair reason to think why that pecking order is in danger of getting disrupted in Axar's case.
Axar Patel 2.0 has shown great adaptability
A major injury to Ravindra Jadeja saw Axar Patel go as India's main left-arm spinner to the T20 World Cup 2022 down under. While the conditions were not ideal for finger spinners, Axar couldn't really adapt his game in a way that would benefit the Men in Blue.
In five games, he picked up just three wickets at an economy rate of 8.62 and a poor average of 38.33. It was indeed a huge disappointment for him and for many who wanted to see him do well, more so as this was his first major opportunity to stand out of Jadeja's shadow.
On one hand, Axar Patel was making a massive impact with the bat, both for Team India in the Tests and ODIs and for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. During the 2023 IPL season, he scored 283 runs at a strike rate of almost 140. But on the other hand, the bowling stocks took a hit as he could only pick up a combined 17 wickets in 27 games over the last two IPL seasons.
From the beginning of 2023 to the ODI World Cup, Axar played eight T20Is. While he scored 157 runs at an average of 39.25, the penetration just wasn't enough with the ball as he picked up just five wickets, averaging 33.40. However, just when it seemed like Axar Patel's bowling was tapering away, he made a strong comeback.
The left-arm spinner looks a lot more accurate and clear with his plans since his comeback from the injury. In seven T20Is since the conclusion of the 2023 World Cup, Axar has picked up 10 wickets at a sensational average of 16.40. Most of his performances have come in conditions not favorable for spinners.
Axar Patel has recently been vocal about how he has focused on varying his pace and lengths on pitches that don't have much assistance for spinners. The change is showing in his numbers and that gives India great hope, especially regarding his adaptability on tough pitches.
Axar on current form might pip Jadeja in T20Is
Ravindra Jadeja wasn't a part of India's T20I plans since August 2022 but returned for the South Africa series. While the sample space of two games was quite small to make a judgment, Jadeja struggled when there wasn't enough turn in the pitch.
On the other hand, he looked lethal when there was grip on the surface in the third T20I against the Proteas in Johannesburg. Both Jadeja and Axar would be more than a handful when pitches offer grip and some bounce.
However, there is uncertainty over the conditions on offer in the West Indies and the USA for the upcoming T20 World Cup. India could be playing their group games on batting paradises in the USA and then the Super Eights on tracks where spinners will get some help.
Axar Patel's current form has shown that he has developed the ability to bowl well across phases and even on pitches without much help for the bowlers. This could be a massive factor that tilts Indian team management's decision in Axar's favor, even when they seem keen to play Jadeja. The IPL 2024 season could play a massive role in solving the Axar vs Jadeja conundrum.
Historically, the current team management have backed the set pecking order - be it playing Ajinkya Rahane in the Tests in South Africa just after an incredible Test debut for Shreyas Iyer, or playing Shubman Gill in ODIs just after Ishan Kishan scored a sensational double hundred.
However, the T20 format rewards confidence and Axar's current form has placed the odds in his favour. After a decade of being Jadeja's understudy, Axar Patel might finally have taken decisive strides towards becoming a dependable T20I match-winner for India.