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The Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel has announced, is full of surprises. Like many other star players, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel are also not named for the one-off Test match against Afghanistan. India will face Afghanistan from June 6 to June 10 for the match in Whites. Because of the summer conditions, spinners are expected to take a crucial role at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium in Punjab.
As the conditions are supposed to be spin-friendly, why do the selectors ignore the prolific spinners like Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel? The Chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, provides an explanation of the decision.
Why was Ravindra Jadeja removed from the Test team?
According to Ajit Agarkar, Jadeja remains their prime spinner in the format. They just rested the spin bowling all-rounder during the Test.
“Ravindra Jadeja has been rested for the Test. He remains an integral part of the Test team and remains our No 1 spinner. About One-day cricket, we want to try and assess our options, particularly keeping in mind the conditions in South Africa,” Agarkar said about Jadeja’s exclusion from the team.
Why was Axar Patel not selected for the Afghanistan series?
While Jadeja is mostly regarded as a Test cricketer nowadays, Axar Patel is an all-format player for the Men in Blue. Agarkar explains that they have picked the squads for the Test and for the ODI series against Afghanistan, keeping the upcoming ODI World Cup in mind. So, they put focus on bringing some fresh talent into the grind of international cricket.
“With regards to one-day cricket, we have 15-16 months left to that World Cup. Somewhere around there, we want to obviously try and assess what our options are, particularly keeping in mind the conditions in South Africa, and give a little bit of exposure to some of the newer guys. We know what Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel can do. This is the time we try to give some opportunity to some of the other guys,” he said on Axar Patel’s part.
Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel's Test stats in brief
Ravindra Jadeja, 37, has so far played 89 Tests for Team India. During this time, he scored a total of 4095 runs, supported by six 100s and twenty-eight half-centuries, for an average of 38.27. With the ball, he has taken 348 wickets, including a couple of 5-wicket hauls. He played his last Test match for India on November 22, 2025, against South Africa in Guwahati.
On the other side, Axar Patel, 32, has so far played only 15 Tests for India. In these 15 games, the spin bowling all-rounder has claimed 57 wickets and scored 688 runs. Patel played his last Test match for the national side on November 14, 2025, when Team India was up against South Africa at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. More than a Test cricketer, the board has mostly used him for limited-overs cricket so far.
