"Why did you make him the vice-captain?" - Aakash Chopra on Axar Patel's place in India's XI for 2025 Asia Cup

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that the Men in Blue might find it difficult to accommodate Axar Patel in their middle order in the 2025 Asia Cup. He wondered why the all-rounder was appointed the vice-captain in India's last T20I series against England when he isn't even a certainty in the XI now.

The 2025 Asia Cup is scheduled to be played in the UAE from September 9 onwards. Although Axar has been picked in India's 15-member squad for the continental event, Shubman Gill has replaced him as Suryakumar Yadav's deputy.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator opined that Gill's appointment as vice-captain implies that Axar does not have a guaranteed place in the XI.

"There is another twist in the tale. When Shubman Gill opens, Sanju Samson loses his place, but how will you fit Axar Patel as the keeper will come in the middle? It means the middle order you had of Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Axar, and after that, Shivam Dube, one of them will be Jitesh Sharma," Chopra said (7:50).

"As soon as Jitesh Sharma comes, what is Axar Patel's mistake? I don't think he will get to bat up the order, although he has done well whenever he has batted up the order, and in bowling as well. However, he has been made slightly dispensable now, which is a sad thing. Why did you make him the vice-captain?" he added.

Aakash Chopra noted that Axar Patel was potentially made the vice-captain as he wasn't getting proper opportunities. While observing that the selectors' thought process was that the spin-bowling all-rounder wasn't being acknowledged, celebrated, and appreciated enough, he questioned why the 31-year-old has been replaced now.

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"If you keep Dube at No. 7, you will play Axar at No. 8" - Aakash Chopra on the repercussions of Axar Patel being removed as a vice-captain

Axar Patel played a crucial knock at No. 5 in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Axar Patel's removal as vice-captain implies that he might have to bat at No. 8.

"Because of him being removed, when you sit and make the XI, and you will need a batter at No. 8, you will find Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, you will want Hardik Pandya at No. 5, and Jitesh Sharma at No. 6. If you keep Dube at No. 7, you will play Axar at No. 8," he said (9:00).

The former India opener added that the southpaw's role as a batter will be drastically reduced, which might make him dispensable.

"Suddenly, Axar's role will be minimized. As a batter, you have cut his wings totally. That makes him a little dispensable. Now you can leave him out. You couldn't have left him out had he been the vice-captain. I feel Bapu has been treated slightly harshly. Don't forget that he won the World Cup and did very well for Delhi in the IPL, but he is on the receiving end this time," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra noted that India might play Varun Chakaravarthy as the only specialist spinner and Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh as the two frontline seamers if Axar Patel bats at No. 8. He added that Arshdeep might have to miss out if Kuldeep Yadav needs to be accommodated in the XI.