Does Axar Patel have a case to be picked ahead of Ravindra Jadeja in the Indian Test XI?

If you had to name the one player in India who resembles Ravindra Jadeja the most, you'd probably pick Axar Patel.

Apart from hailing from the same part of the country, Jadeja and Axar are left-arm spinning all-rounders who are quick through the air as well as accurate with the ball, dynamic with the bat, and electric in the field.

But no one could have anticipated how successful Axar Patel would be in his debut series against England as a replacement for Jadeja. After missing out on the 1st Test due to an injury, the 27-year-old shattered numerous records over the next three matches to finish with 27 wickets at a mind-boggling average of 10.59.

Axar's stellar performances meant that India didn't feel the absence of Jadeja. In fact, four 5-wicket hauls in 6 innings have even prompted a section of the Indian cricketing fraternity to question whether Axar Patel should keep Jadeja out of the team when the latter does return.

Sunil Gavaskar quipped after Axar's 11-wicket haul in the 3rd Test:

"Jadeja is now wondering what happened to his thumb. He is asking the doctor why his dislocated thumb has taken so long to recover. He got hit on the 10th of January and it is now end of February, for a dislocated thumb to take that long, ooh," said the former Indian skipper.

Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar even claimed that Axar could become the quickest bowler to reach the milestone of 100 Test wickets.

But this is a prime example of recency bias. And even if we do consider only recent performances, it would be impossible for Axar Patel to match what Ravindra Jadeja brings to the table. Here's why.

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Why it's impossible for Axar Patel to match what Ravindra Jadeja brings to the table

Axar Patel doesn't offer Ravindra Jadeja's batting and fielding

Comparing the first-class records of Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel unearths some interesting facts.

Jadeja has played 104 FC matches, of which 51 have been Tests. Over the course of these games, he has taken 430 wickets at an average of 24.04 and scored 5,884 runs at an average of 47.45. Three triple tons in FC cricket are enough to convince fans that he is a far better batsman than these numbers suggest.

In contrast, Axar has played 42 FC matches, of which only 3 have been Tests. He has scalped 161 wickets at a similar average of 24.56. But it's in the batting department where his numbers truly take a hit - he has scored only 1,720 runs at a poor average of 33.72.

Jadeja's batting has grown leaps and bounds over the last few years, and both his average and strike rate have been on the rise. Finishing innings frequently and winning a number of matches single-handedly, the 32-year-old has amassed a treasure trove of experience and game-awareness. In the Test format, Jadeja adds great security to the lower-middle order, since none of India's pacers are particularly gifted with the bat.

Moreover, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja are almost exactly similar bowlers. Both have potent arm balls and are unerringly accurate. It can even be argued that Jadeja gets a little more turn out of unhelpful pitches due to the revs he imparts on the ball.

Axar does have his advantages, though. He's perhaps the slightest touch more accurate, his pace variations are more pronounced, and his height allows him to extract more bounce. But despite these positives, his bowling numbers are less impressive than those of Jadeja, who has played almost half his FC matches at the Test level.

It would be criminal to claim that Axar Patel should keep Ravindra Jadeja out of the team, especially when he has played Test matches only in Chennai and Ahmedabad. The tracks at these two venues assisted turn on most days, and Jadeja might have equally been - if not more - effective.

While Axar's showing has been indicative of the riches at India's disposal on the bench, he is nothing more than a backup option. Ravindra Jadeja is one of the first names on the Indian teamsheet across formats, and it would take months - or maybe even years - of similar performances from Axar Patel before he is displaced.