When we look back at India’s tour of Australia, one thing that has been constant throughout the tour has been the injuries Indian players have sustained. In the 3rd Test of the series at Sydney Cricket Ground which was built up for multiple off the field, incidents saw India’s ace all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja getting injured.
This is the second time in the tour that Jadeja has been injured, first was the concussion he suffered during the first T20 between India and Australia while the second injury looks far more long term as while facing the quality attack of Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood, Jadeja copped a short ball right on his left thumb.
Though the injury didn’t look that serious at that point in time as Jadeja continued to bat, it was later revealed after scans that the all-rounder from Saurashtra has fractured and dislocated ruling him out of action for at least 4-5 weeks.
With Ravindra Jadeja, India’s star all-rounder out injured, India are in a situation of crisis with England’s tour of India starting on 5th February. The extent of Jadeja’s injury has already ruled him out of the upcoming series against England which is why the Chetan Chauhan led selection committee will look to find a suitable replacement for Ravindra Jadeja. Now, let’s take a look at 3 Players Who Can replace Ravindra Jadeja during the Test series against England.
Let’s take a look at 3 Players Who Can Replace Ravindra Jadeja During The Test Series Against England
1. Axar Patel
Now when we talk about ‘Like For Like Replacement‘ for Ravindra Jadeja, the only name that strikes our mind is the all-rounder from Gujarat, Axar Rajeshbhai Patel. The left-handed all-rounder has been a part of the Indian team since 2014, post which he was also included in the 15 man squad for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand as a backup for Ravindra Jadeja.
Also Read: Justin Langer Reveals Reasons For Injury-Wracked Test Series
But the consistent performance of Jadeja and the emergence of ‘Kulcha’ ( Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal ) led to him losing his place in the Indian Team. Talking about Axar Patel’s First-Class record, the latter has picked 134 wickets in 39 matches with six 5 wicket hauls to his name.
Axar’s most notable performance came way back in 2015 against South Africa A where he bowled 6 overs picking up 4 wickets without conceding a single run.
Though Axar Patel is considered as the one spin who doesn’t spin the ball much could prove lethal given that we’re already seen his economical spells in the past. Patel could hold one end while the other bowlers bowling from other ends could be aggressive in looking to pick wickets.
Moreover, Axar Patel can also contribute with the bat as well since he’s more than just a handy batsman with 1 first-class hundred and 13 fifties to his name.
Also Read: 5 Indian Players Who Braved Injuries For The Nation
