IND vs AFG: Ravindra Jadeja Or Axar Patel? Suresh Raina Picks India's Spin-Bowling All-Rounder For T20 World Cup 2024

Former all-rounder Suresh Raina expressed that Axar Patel has secured his place in India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Suresh Raina highlighted that Ravindra Jadeja’s selection will depend on his performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

The Rohit Sharma-led team kicked off the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan on a high note, securing a 6-wicket victory. The Indian bowlers restricted the opposition to a total of 158. The home team successfully chased down the target with 15 balls to spare.

Axar Patel claimed two wickets for 23 runs in Mohali on Thursday, January 11. Patel was the standout performer for the team in the bowling department. Ravindra Jadeja, on the other hand, was rested ahead of the upcoming five-match Test series against England.

It Will Depend A Lot On The IPL Performance – Suresh Raina

During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Suresh Raina praised Axar Patel for his impactful performances with both bat and ball. Regarding Ravindra Jadeja’s selection, Raina emphasized the importance of the upcoming IPL.

“He (Axar) bowls in the powerplay. He has done well whenever he has batted. (Pragyan) Ojha can tell better about his trajectory as he is himself a left-arm spinner. He varies his pace, the way he dismissed (Rahmanullah) Gurbaz. I feel his ticket is confirmed,” Raina said.

“It needs to be seen how much they are thinking about Jadeja. He has definitely been rested because there are five Test matches against England. Jadeja is an impact player. It will depend a lot on the IPL performance, the rhythm you are in, and the self-confidence you have,” he added.

Axar Patel has secured 47 wickets in 49 T20I innings, maintaining a commendable economy rate of 7.34. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja has notched 53 dismissals in 64 T20I innings with a slightly more efficient economy rate of 7.10.

Axar Patel Should Be Kept – Pragyan Ojha

Pragyan Ojha agreed with Suresh Raina’s comments and said that Axar Patel deserves a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad. Ojha pointed out Patel’s impactful contributions in both batting and bowling, emphasizing his proficiency as a fielder.

“He should be kept. When a bowler or an all-rounder remains in and out of the team and performs whenever given a chance, it means his game-reading sense is top-class, his game awareness is always intact,” Ojha said.

“It’s not easy to be in another player’s shadow. We repeatedly talk about Ravindra Jadeja but Axar Patel has created an impact whenever given a chance both in batting and bowling, and he is a good fielder as well. He fields at point, just like Ravindra Jadeja,” he added.

Axar Patel was not included in India’s squad for the recent T20I series against South Africa. However, he returned to the team for the home series against Afghanistan. He will represent the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the upcoming edition of the cash-rich league.

Also read: IND vs AFG: Not KL Rahul, Sanju Samson! Suresh Raina Names India’s First-Choice Wicketkeeper For T20 WC 2024