"There is a healthy rivalry between the two of them" - Gautam Gambhir on Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja

Gautam Gambhir believes there is a healthy rivalry between Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja and that the two spin-bowling all-rounders push each other.

India defeated Australia by six wickets in the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar-Trophy in Delhi on Sunday (February 19) to take a 2-0 lead in the four-match series. The Indian spinners bowled out the visitors for 113 in their second innings on Day 3 and chased down the 115-run fourth-innings target in just 26.4 overs.

While reviewing the game on Star Sports, Gambhir highlighted that Axar and Jadeja are not competing against each other, elaborating:

"There is a healthy rivalry between the two of them (Axar and Jadeja), they push each other. They are not competitors. Both are similar type of players but one performed in bowling and the other performed in batting."

While observing that Axar hasn't got much bowling in the ongoing series, the former Indian opener lauded the Gujarat all-rounder's decisive contributions with the bat, saying:

"When you play with three all-rounders, one bowler is always underbowled. Axar Patel has been underbowled in this series but imagine how he has contributed with his batting. I believe Axar Patel looked the most fluent in the Indian innings."

A crucial 50-run partnership for #TeamIndia! Will @akshar2026 and @ashwinravi99 frustrate the Aussies and get 🇮🇳 back in the game?

Don't miss the LIVE action of the 2nd Mastercard #INDvAUS Test, on Star Sports & Disney+Hotstar.
#BelieveInBlue #TestByFire https://t.co/tDGfDfWHLI

Axar (74) was India's top scorer in the first innings. He strung together a 114-run eighth-wicket partnership with Ravichandran Ashwin to help Rohit Sharma and Co. post a 262-run total after being precariously placed at 139/7 at one stage.

"Axar Patel will keep getting better" - Gautam Gambhir

Axar Patel made a defining contribution with the bat in the Nagpur Test as well. [P/C: BCCI]

Gambhir believes Axar is almost at par with Jadeja as a genuine all-rounder, observing:

"He performed better than Jadeja in batting and Jadeja performed better in bowling. I believe Axar Patel will keep getting better. We have spoken about Jadeja as a proper all-rounder, Axar is not that far behind. You can also keep Axar in that category."

The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons Axar might have made as much impact as Jadeja with the ball if he had bowled as many overs, stating:

"We talk more about Ravindra Jadeja because he is the world's No. 1 all-rounder, but if Axar also bowls as much as him, he might also have as much impact as Ravindra Jadeja."

Despite Jadeja's brilliance today, Axar Patel is my Player of the Match. Take out his crucial 74 runs, and this match would've been different. #INDvsAUS

Axar bowled just one over in Australia's second innings and wasn't given the ball at all on the third day. The left-arm spinner failed to pick up a wicket in the 12 overs he bowled in Australia's first innings, with both Jadeja and Ashwin picking up three-wicket hauls in 21 overs apiece.