Table of Contents
Axar Patel's match-winning performance in Birmingham against England in the 1st ODI of the ongoing series could help him to become the successor to the veteran Ravindra Jadeja in the ODI World Cup in 2027. After a long spell of disappointing or subpar outings in the recent past, Patel’s all-round performance in Birmingham is marked as the moment of resurgence.
The Indian team management is in search of a perfect spin-bowling all-rounder who could match experienced Jadeja’s profile and deliver with both bat and ball with the same expertise. Axar Patel fits the profile but has lacked in performance.
Team India is likely to prefer more pacers over an extra spinner in the 2027 ODI World Cup
The upcoming ODI World Cup will be in South Africa, where the India National Cricket Team is expected to name more fast bowlers compared to spinners because of the nature of the wickets and conditions there.
Pitches in South Africa mostly help the bowlers with extra bounce, while offering very little to the spinners. For the limited-overs formats, Gautam Gambhir-coached Team India tends to filed a all-rounder heavy team, which continues in the ongoing series against England. If the team management keeps trusting the all-rounders in addition to the bouncy surfaces in South Africa, a very limited number of spinners could get a chance in the playing combination.
Washington Sundar and Axar Patel are fit for Ravindra Jadeja's replacement
Washington Sundar and Axar Patel are the only proven spin bowling all-rounders who could be a like-for-like substitute for Ravindra Jadeja. Kuldeep Yadav will also be in contention, but his batting skills are very limited.
To add depth to the department, the Board of Control for Cricket in India keeps Harsh Dubey with the team to prepare him for upcoming endeavours. However, nothing is finalized yet about the team selection. But it is learnt that Axar Patel’s unbeaten 57 and figures of 4/62 had a significant impact on the team management.
“The team management will largely need one lead spinner in the XI in South Africa. If Washington Sundar plays, it will be a bonus. That’s why Axar’s form is so critical. Harsh Dubey is being groomed as his backup,” a BCCI source said to Times of India.
BCCI is not happy with Ravindra Jadeja's ODI performance
While Ravindra Jadeja was active with the Rajasthan Royals throughout the IPL 2026 season, the Indian team management is not happy with his performance during his last few outings with the national cricket team. So, the management is actively looking for Jadeja’s replacement in ODIs.
“Jadeja’s bowling in white-ball cricket hasn’t been up to the mark for some time. He played in the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025 because India expected turning pitches in Dubai. His power-hitting too isn’t at the level it was during the 2019 World Cup,” the source confirmed.
Axar Patel himself might have sensed the opportunity as he said that he needed to keep his focus intact to deliver effective performance consistently.
