Over the years, Axar Patel has been praised as an Indian all-format all-rounder. He is a player who with his left-arm spin and batting at the lower order, possesses the same attributes as Ravindra Jadeja, and is perceived as his natural successor.
However, recently the phases of Axar’s career have become confusing and uncertain even though he has been consistently performing. The first question raised about Axar’s long-term role in India’s national setup was his exclusion from the ODI squad for the upcoming South Africa series.
First of all, it is a case which seems rather harsh that Axar has been left out of the ODI squad. A Matter of fact is that his numbers in the 50-over format show both reliability and impact.
He has scored 858 runs and taken 75 wickets in 71 ODIs which prove that he is a different player in both bat and ball, especially in high-pressure scenarios.
Besides, his batting versatility has made him a very important middle-order floater. Tournaments like the Champions Trophy 2025 saw him even taking on the role of a No. 5, where through playing very good innings he contributed significantly to India’s title victory.
He was also very good during the India vs Australia ODI series scoring a total of 75 runs in two innings and coming up with 3 wickets which clearly indicate his valuable all-around involvement.
Yet, he was still put aside for selection in favor of Rishabh Pant, Jadeja, and Washington Sundar for the South Africa series. This situation brings up a very important question: What more does Axar have to do to be a constant selection in ODIs?
Test Career: Improving but inconsistently supported
Moving to the Test category, Axar’s condition seems just as uncertain. He has made good performances, especially in his home grounds where his accuracy and height help him a lot, but he is still frequently rotated.
The 31-year-old all-rounder was part of the Kolkata Test against South Africa but was not included in the next match for no apparent reason.
In addition, before the recall, Axar had last participated in the Test during the England series of 2024 where he scored 133 runs in four innings with a batting average of 33.35 and impressed the selectors. However, Washington Sundar has been given preference over him more often than not.
The reason for this preference is still a mystery. Probably, the management wants Sundar’s off-spin variety and slightly better batting. But, permanently replacing Axar risks hurting his confidence, on-field gestures, and the overall performance groove.
However, Axar’s slot in T20Is appears unshakable. He plays as the vice-captain to Suryakumar Yadav, and along with him, he has always been there in the roles of control ball and bursts in power-hitting.
But, even though stability in T20Is is a good thing, it cannot be a substitute for the uncertainty he has to go through in the long-established formats, Tests and ODIs.
What is really the reason for Axar Patel’s exclusion?
The current situation indicates a mix of trial-and-error and experience-based decision-making by the BCCI selectors. Besides, with Jadeja and Rishabh Pant coming back to their respective positions, Axar is left out even after he has performed well.
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir could be trying to smoothen the transition and might be the one to influence these decisions. However, the proven worth of Axar makes such decisions seem random.