Axar Patel ruled out of remainder of five-match T20I series against South Africa

India have reportedly suffered a blow in the ongoing five-match T20I series against South Africa, with veteran all-rounder Axar Patel ruled out of the final two matches. Notably, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet announced his replacement for the remainder of the T20I series on home soil.

India secured a win in the series opener but lost the second match, leaving the five-game T20I contest evenly poised heading into the Dharamsala fixture. Patel missed the third game on Sunday, December 14; however, India delivered an all-round performance to secure the victory and take the lead in the ongoing series.

Axar Patel Ruled Out of Remainder of Five-T20I Series Against South Africa

According to a report by Sports Tak, Axar Patel has been ruled out of the remaining matches of the ongoing five-T20I series against South Africa. The development came just a few days before the fourth T20I. The BCCI is yet to announce who will replace him in the squad.

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There is also some uncertainty around Jasprit Bumrah. He returned home on December 14 due to personal reasons, and the board has not yet confirmed whether he will be available for the next match.

The fourth T20I of the series will be played at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday, December 17. A win in the upcoming match will help the home team clinch the series before the final game.

Axar Patel’s Impact Against South Africa and India’s Replacement Options

Axar Patel made a strong start to the T20I series against South Africa with important contributions in the opening match. He bowled a tight spell, taking two wickets for just seven runs as South Africa were dismissed for 74. India went on to win the match by 101 runs.

He followed it up with another all-round effort in the second T20I. Axar bowled three overs, conceded 27 runs, and picked up a wicket. During the chase, Axar Patel was promoted to No. 3 and scored a quick 21 off 21 balls.

With Axar now unavailable, India are yet to name a replacement. Washington Sundar is one of the options in the squad, although he does not provide the same left-arm spin. The team management will hope Axar recovers in time for the white-ball series against New Zealand starting on January 11.

India Take 2-1 Lead With Comfortable Win in Dharamsala

South Africa struggled with the bat on a surface that offered plenty of help to the bowlers. India’s pace and spin attack worked in tandem to apply pressure right from the start. They lost four wickets for 30 runs and were never able to build any partnerships.

The wickets were shared among the bowling unit. Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav picked up two wickets each, while Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube also contributed with the ball. South Africa were bowled out for just 117 runs.

In reply, Abhishek Sharma took the attack to the bowlers during the powerplay, scoring freely and removing any early pressure. Although the middle order did not score at a fast pace, the solid start meant the target was never in danger. India completed the chase with 25 balls to spare.

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