3 Ravindra Jadeja records Axar Patel can break soon

Left-arm all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has unquestionably been one of Team India's biggest assets. While he made a slow and sluggish start to his career, he has set unprecedented standards through his multi-dimensional abilities ever since he settled into the squad.

While Jadeja comes across as an all-format player, the value he adds to the red-ball team in both home and overseas conditions makes him a genuine match-winner.

Axar Patel has also started his Test career on the brightest of notes. He claimed 27 wickets in his maiden series against England in 2021 and has not turned back since.

While Axar has been in the shadow of Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja so far, he has stepped up whenever it is required of him. The 29-year-old comes across as a different spinner when compared to his counterpart since he is not the biggest turner of the ball. He uses his height and angle to great effect with his delivery that comes along with the arm often proving to outsmart several batters.

The Gujarat-born spinner has also stepped up when it comes to his batting. He is among the highest run scorers in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy and is molding into an ideal all-rounder, something which India could use when Ashwin and Jadeja step away from the game.

On that note, let’s take a look at three Ravindra Jadeja records that Axar Patel could soon break.

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#1 Second-fastest Indian left-arm spinner to claim 100 wickets

As mentioned above, Axar raced to 27 wickets after his first three Tests itself. His current wicket tally reads 48 wickets in 10 Tests.

In comparison, Jadeja took 39 wickets across his first 10 Tests and ended up being the second-fastest Indian left-arm spinner to reach the three-figure mark with the red ball.

The all-rounder took 24 Tests to achieve the landmark feat, only two Tests behind Pragyan Ojha, who holds the record at the moment.

Should Axar continue this run of form, he has a realistic chance of beating Jadeja's record of becoming the second-fastest Indian left-arm spinner to get to 100 wickets and could eye the top spot as well.

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#2 Fastest to 1000 runs and 100 wickets among Indian left-arm spinners

The milestone of 1000 runs and 100 wickets in Test cricket is often revered as the first major milestone for an all-rounder before they can set their sights on bigger things.

It took 30 Tests for Jadeja to attain the milestone, which nine more Indian players have managed to achieve to date. While Ashwin is the quickest player to scale the elusive double, Jadeja remains the fastest when it comes to left-arm candidates.

Axar has 48 wickets to his name and his recent exploits with the bat have also increased his run tally to 407 runs in 10 Tests, propelling his batting average above 30 as well.

In the current setup, he comes to bat in at No. 9, which is bound to improve as time passes and the transition takes place.

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#3 Most wickets in a calendar year by an Indian left-arm spinner

2017 was a prolific year for Jadeja. The Gujarat-born spinner claimed 54 wickets in 10 Tests to claim the most number of wickets by an Indian left-arm spinner.

However, with India playing 12 Tests in 2024, with 10 of them being on home soil, Axar has a good chance of breaching the record. The all-rounder is bound to improve and could assume the role of the lead spinner by that point in time.

Axar is also just two wickets shy of taking 50 Test wickets. He missed the opportunity to get to the mark in his 10th Test after ending wicketless in the Delhi Test against Australia.

Ashwin is the quickest to the milestone, having taken only nine Tests. The likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Harbhajan Singh took 11 Tests to claim 50 wickets, while Jadeja reached the mark in his 13th Test.

With two more Tests against Australia remaining on home soil, the odds favor Axar overtaking his compatriot in terms of reaching 50 wickets inside 13 Tests.

Will Axar Patel be able to break the aforementioned records in time? Let us know what you think.

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