Axar Patel replaces Ravindra Jadeja in Asia Cup 2022

Team India and their fans were handed a shock on Friday, September 2, 2022, when it was announced that all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been ruled out of the rest of Asia Cup 2022 with a knee injury. Axar Patel, who was previously put in the reserves by the BCCI selectors, has replaced him in the squad.

Jadeja, 33, has been an important part of Team India’s performance for a long time. He was also a crucial part of India’s performance at the continental tournament that saw the Men in Blue defeat arch-rivals Pakistan and Hong Kong in consecutive matches.

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On the other hand, Axar Patel has delivered every time he has been called in. The 28-year-old was part of India’s squad that faced West Indies in a T20I series in August 2022, where he claimed five wickets in two matches.

Ravindra Jadeja was one of the best Indian players against Hong Kong when he showcased his fielding abilities once again by dismissing captain Nizakat Khan with a long throw. He also registered a figure of 1/15 against Hong Kong.

Jadeja was India’s joint-highest scorer against arch-rivals Pakistan in his side’s Asia Cup campaign opener on August 28. He played a knock of 35 runs off 29 balls, before registering a 5.50 economy rate with the bowl, helping to limit Pakistan to 147 runs.

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Apart from international duties, Axar Patel has impressed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) too. He was part of the Delhi Capitals in the 2022 edition of the mega tournament, where he scored 182 runs in 10 innings, with the highest score of an undefeated 42. He also claimed six wickets with an economy rate of 7.47.

India will not only miss Jadeja’s batting or bowling prowess but also his fielding abilities in the Super 4. The Men in Blue have already defeated Pakistan and Hong Kong in the group stages and secured a berth in the Super 4, where they will be facing the winner of the Pakistan vs Hong Kong match on Sunday, September 4. They will also face Sri Lanka and Afghanistan on September 6 and 8 respectively.