India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 is yet to be announced but its anticipation has already gripped the fans and the country’s cricket fraternity. The International Cricket Council has asked all the participants to submit their respective provisional squads by May 1. As the deadline approaches, discussions and debates heat up around the deserving candidates who are fighting for a ticket to the flight to the Caribbean and the US.
In India, picking a team for a World Cup has always been challenging. The spots are limited but the contenders are too many which forces the selectors to make tough calls when they sit down with the captain and coach to constitute a strong unit which could fight for glory.
The present scenario is not at all different. At least 20-25 players are in the fray who are constantly pushing their cases through impactful performances in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. One of the interesting battles of spots is among all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Both Axar and Jadeja possess identical skills; left-arm orthodox and left-hand bat. Both of them can strike the ball cleanly, and know the art of picking wickets on slow and sticky tracks. But Jadeja always has the edge when it comes to fielding.
On the other hand, if the ongoing IPL 2024 has to be the basis of selection, then Axar seems to be a little ahead of Jadeja. Both are striking at 131 but Axar is undoubtedly ahead with the ball, with a few more wickets and a better economy rate. Notably, Axar remained wicketless in 4 games, but Jadeja has returned empty-handed on 6 occasions.
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‘Axar and Jadeja are like my right eye and left eye’
Former India chief selector K Srikkanth, whose committee picked the 2011 World Cup-winning side, has ended the tussle between Jadeja and Axar, opining that both the left-arm all-rounders should be in the final 15.
Replying to a CricketNext query on ‘Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup’, the 1983 World Cup-winner opined that both the all-rounders are equally important like both eyes in a human body.
“Jadeja will be in the 11 but Axar will also be in the 15. Axar is also a potential match-winner you have to understand that,” Srikkanth said.
“Axar can bat brilliantly, bowl brilliantly, field brilliantly. But the first choice will go to Jadeja at number 7 by sheer experience and the way he’s played international cricket in the past and he’s a big match player. Jadeja is a big match player but similarly, Axar Patel has done very well so both Jadeja and Axar Patel will be there.
“Probably the first nod will go to Jadeja for the first match and then probably Axar Patel. Both of them are equally important to me, it’s like my right eye and left eye which one do I choose” he added.
No Place for Axar: Tom Moody
Moody disagreed with Srikkanth and said he won’t suggest picking both the left-arm all-rounders in the team. However, the former Australia cricketer also added that Jadeja doesn’t deem fit to bat at no. 7 in World Cups.
“I wouldn’t be taking both. I’d be taking Jadeja purely because I’m looking for the best left-arm spinning option. He’s the best left-arm spinner in the country. In my eleven, he’s not batting seven,” Moody replied to the CricketNext query on ‘Star Sports Press Room Show, Ticket to World Cup’.
“I don’t think he’s good enough to bat seven in a World Cup side. He’s proven that with his strike rate. You need an impact-type player batting at seven.
“So if I’m playing two spinners, he’s batting at eight. Kuldeep’s batting nine and I’m playing two fast bowlers and I’m playing Hardik Pandya in the top. In the top six or seven to balance the side with an over or two of Dubai to give me that depth in bowling. So that’s the way I’d view it. Yes. Jadeja in the side. Axar narrowly misses out,” Moody added.
No Axar in Irfan’s team
Instead of emphasising finger spinners, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan looked more keen on having a couple of wrist spinners.
“So if I’m slightly different in terms of, you know, mindset, what Thomas said, you need five good bowlers. That’s a must. What are your wicket-taking options like when you’re talking about Ravindra and Shadeja as a. Batting at number eight and playing as a spinner, I would rather have two wrist spinners in the line-up,” Pathan said.
Pathan further suggested that Yashasvi Jaiswal can also chip in as a bowler if selected. Also, with Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya, Jadeja can easily fit in with a couple of wrist spinners to complete the line-up.
“So in my team, if two spinners, two fast bowlers are playing and if Dube and Hardik can give me four overs, including Yashasvi Jaiswal as one more bowler there, so I’ll have two proper wrist spinners.
“But when you talk about what the Indian team might do, the Indian team might actually play Jadeja at number seven. And I agree with Tom on that front that it’s a bit too high for him. This is where the selection is a bit tough. But you need to make a tough call this time around,” Pathan concluded.
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