Did India make a mistake by not playing Axar Patel during Pune Test?

Hindsight is a good thing especially after Indian cricket lost the Test series to New Zealand. But hindsight also suggests introspection, this is where Axar Patel’s name should be discussed. The 30-year-old was mysteriously ignored for the Pune Test match and also dropped from the team for the Australian tour. 

Veteran stars Ravindra Jadeja and R. Ashwin have been called out for their lacklustre performances in the last few games. While Ashwin has picked a 6-fer in Chennai, the form shown by Jadeja with the ball has been concerning. Rohit Sharma too made a huge comment on the questions being asked about duo. 

India's skipper during his press conference said “There's too much expectations on Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. That's not fair, the onus should be on the entire team. These two played a major role in our unbeaten series run at home. Sometimes they're allowed to have bad games here and there. You're talking about someone who has taken 500+ and 300+ wickets respectively. It can happen that things don't work out for them and that's when people around need to step up and take that extra responsibility."

Did India err by not playing Axar Patel in Pune?

After his explosive debut in 2021 in the Test format, Axar Patel has seen his fortunes plummet in the last two seasons. The 30-year-old has played just played 6 Test matches in 2023 and 2024. Axar Patel has also scored 397 runs with 3 fifties and picked 8 wickets during this period. In 2023 alone Patel scored 3 half-centuries and batted with an average of 88.  

Mitchell Santner was running riot in Pune, while Ravindra Jadeja was failing to find the bite off the wicket. This is where someone like Axar Patel could have been played instead of Jadeja. The 30-year-old could have gotten the ball to bounce with his natural height and ability to trouble the batters off the surface. 

Axar Patel’s numbers with the bat and ball against New Zealand is exemplary. The 30-year-old has scored 124 runs with an average of 62 with a best of 52. That knock came during the Mumbai Test where Ajaz Patel famously took all ten wickets. 

With the ball, Patel has picked nine wickets from 2 matches with the best of 5/62 coming in Kanpur. His wickets in that game included Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Tim Southee, and Daryl Mitchell in the second. As said earlier here is where hindsight and introspection play a key role. All the four Kiwi players had a key role in both the Test match wins in Bengaluru and Pune. 

Axar’s bowling form against Australia is worrying with just three wickets but he has scored 264 runs with the bat. Out of his three fifties during the 2023 series, two came at crucial times. His 84 runs in Nagpur came at a time when India were placed at 240/7 with just a lead of 63 runs. His knock enabled India to reach 400 and win the game with Patel beign the last man to be dismissed. 

In the very next Test match in New Delhi, the Australians had posted 263 in their first innings. In reply, India were struggling at 139/7 and Patel joined Ashwin to add 114 runs for the 8th wicket and scored 74 runs from 115 balls. India managed to score 262 and bowled out Australia for 113 runs in their 2nd innings. 

Memory certainly is short in today’s day and age and it is baffling the team management aren’t playing a proven match winner. Each of Patel’s knocks or fifers have come in pitches where spin has had a major say and he his performances have been outstanding. He might get a look-in for the final Test in Mumbai, but as the saying goes you cannot close the stable door when the horses have already bolted.