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The veteran spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel is on the verge of achieving two major milestones in T20I cricket when India take on England in the second T20I at Old Trafford, Manchester. He has been one of India's most reliable white-ball performers over the last decade and now finds himself just one match and one wicket away from joining two elite lists.
The left-arm spinner is set to equal MS Dhoni's tally of 98 T20I appearances for India, while he also needs just one more wicket to become only the fourth Indian bowler to reach the landmark of 100 wickets in the shortest format. With India looking to bounce back after a disappointing tour of Ireland and the rain-affected opening T20I against England, Axar has a golden opportunity to script history.
Axar Patel set to equal MS Dhoni's record
India are expected to retain a largely unchanged playing XI for the second T20I against England, which puts Axar on course for his 98th T20I appearance.
If he takes the field in Manchester, he will draw level with legendary former captain MS Dhoni as India's fifth-most-capped player in T20I cricket.
Most matches for India in T20Is:
| Player | Matches |
|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 159 |
| Hardik Pandya | 138 |
| Virat Kohli | 125 |
| Suryakumar Yadav | 113 |
| MS Dhoni | 98 |
| Axar | 97 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 95 |
| Arshdeep Singh | 87 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 87 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 80 |
Axar made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in Harare in July 2015 and has since become a crucial member of India's white-ball setup. While he initially featured primarily as a specialist spinner, he has evolved into a genuine all-rounder capable of contributing with both bat and ball.
The upcoming clash against England therefore presents an opportunity for Axar Patel to move level with one of India's greatest-ever cricketers. Given his importance to the current side, he is also likely to move further up the list in the coming months.
Most T20I wickets for India, ft Axar Patel
The Manchester T20I could be even more special for Axar Patel because he is just one wicket away from entering the 100-wicket club for India in T20I cricket.
Most wickets for India in T20Is:
| Player | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Arshdeep Singh | 131 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 121 |
| Hardik Pandya | 114 |
| Axar Patel | 99 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 96 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 95 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 90 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | 73 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 72 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 64 |
Only three Indian bowlers have managed to take 100 or more wickets in T20I cricket so far. Arshdeep Singh leads the charts with 131 wickets, followed by Jasprit Bumrah's 121 and Hardik Pandya's 114.
Axar Patel currently sits fourth with 99 wickets from 97 matches and needs just one more scalp to become the fourth Indian bowler overall and the first Indian spinner to complete a century of wickets in T20Is.
The achievement would further strengthen Axar Patel's legacy as one of India's finest T20 bowlers. He has consistently delivered in powerplay, middle overs and even at the death, making him one of the most versatile spinners in world cricket.
Most T20I wickets in history
While Axar Patel is closing in on the 100-wicket mark, the global T20I wicket-taking charts are currently dominated by some of the finest spinners in the history of the format.
Most wickets in T20I cricket:
| Player | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Rashid Khan | 193 |
| Ish Sodhi | 165 |
| Adil Rashid | 164 |
| Tim Southee | 164 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 161 |
| Mustafizur Rahman | 160 |
| Adam Zampa | 153 |
| Ehsan Khan | 152 |
| Shakib Al Hasan | 149 |
| Sandeep Lamichhane | 142 |
Afghanistan superstar Rashid Khan comfortably leads the list with 193 wickets and remains the benchmark for T20 spin bowling. New Zealand leg-spinner Ish Sodhi follows him with 165 wickets, while England veteran Adil Rashid and former New Zealand pacer Tim Southee are tied on 164 wickets each.
Wanindu Hasaranga, Mustafizur Rahman and Adam Zampa also feature prominently among the all-time greats of the format. Interestingly, England's Adil Rashid will be in action during the Manchester T20I and is only two wickets away from moving ahead of Southee into outright third place on the all-time list.
For Axar Patel, however, the immediate focus will be on reaching the 100-wicket milestone and equalling MS Dhoni's appearance record. If he manages both in Manchester, it will be another memorable chapter in an already impressive international career. Meanwhile, why the BCCI chose Shreyas Iyer over Sanju Samson as T20I captain was recently revealed.
