Left-arm spinner Axar Patel fit for selection for 2nd Test

Team India’s left-arm spinner Axar Patel has been declared fit for selection for the second Test against England. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the same on their official website.

Axar Patel was earlier ruled out of the first Test after he complained of pain in his left knee. The BCCI has now informed that the bowling all-rounder has recovered completely and is in contention for selection for the second Test, which starts on Saturday

Earlier in the day, the BCCI posted a video of Axar Patel bowling in the nets on its official Twitter account. The post was accompanied with the caption:

“Look, who is back in the nets! @akshar2026 is here and raring to go!”

India lost the first Test against England by 227 runs after the visitors put up a commanding show. Following the defeat, Indian captain Virat Kohli blamed the loss on India’s lack of application in both the batting and bowling departments.

Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem, who played the first Test, has been withdrawn from the main squad along with Rahul Chahar. The selection committee has added the two to the list of standby players.

Nadeem struggled in the first Test. He claimed 2 for 167 in the first innings in 44 overs and 2 for 66 in 15 overs in the second.

Look, who is back in the nets! @akshar2026 is here and raring to go! @Paytm #TeamIndia #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/HdaO9MgS9q

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 11, 2021

Will Axar Patel play in the second Test?

Following the disappointing show in the first Test, India are likely to ring in a few changes for the second Test. Washington Sundar and Shahbaz Nadeem featured alongside senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the opening Test of the series in Chennai.

While Washington Sundar made an impressive 85 not out in India’s first innings, he struggled to make an impact with his off-spin. However, with Shahbaz Nadeem out of the equation, Axar Patel comes into the fray. However, there is a growing chorus to include left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the playing XI.

Kuldeep Yadav hasn’t played a Test for India since January 2019 in Sydney. Axar Patel is yet to play a Test for India, and there are question marks over his batting ability as well in the longer format. So, it remains to be seen which of the two will feature in the second Test.

#TeamIndia gear up for the second @Paytm #INDvENG Test at Chepauk! 💪👍 pic.twitter.com/Ohzn2mXyAv

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 11, 2021

India’s Test squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (Vice-Captain), KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed. Siraj, Shardul Thakur.

Standby players: K S Bharat, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Chahar, Priyank Panchal.

Net Bowlers: Ankit Rajpoot, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Warrier, Krishnappa Gowtham, Saurabh Kumar.