Why Axar Patel should be groomed like Ravindra Jadeja

Legends retire and leave their mark on the field, on the team, on the country and in the hearts of billions of cricket fans. However, along with that mark what they leave is a void and big boots which seem almost impossible to fill in. Ravindra Jadeja is no legend at the moment. However, he is the No.1 ranked bowler in Tests at the moment and also the No.2 ranked all-rounder in the same format.

So, it can be said that if he keeps on rising at the same rate, he can be a legend in the making. He is a vital player for India in all three formats of the game and his absence can hurt the team’s performance badly.

So, it is necessary to groom players who can fit into the positions when a regular first team player is out with injury or he retires. It is hard to find like-for-like replacements for such players. However, if we can find so, it must be ensured that he is groomed properly to keep him ready in times of need. Similarly, it is necessary to groom the Gujarat all-rounder Axar Patel in the same manner as Ravindra Jadeja.

Similarities between Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja

Axar Patel is similar to Ravindra Jadeja in all respects; both of them bat, bowl and field left handed. Moreover, both are excellent fielders and their big hitting capabilities are also the same. There is no doubt that he can be an excellent replacement for Ravindra Jadeja in times of need.

India has always been known for producing quality spinners and there is no surprise that they are emerging even today. However, a lot of good players find themselves out of contention from the national side for long periods just because another player is favoured in the first team.

The BCCI needs to realise that there is as much need to give ample playing time to players like Axar Patel as much it is to first team players like Ravindra Jadeja. If Jadeja plays three to four matches in a five-match ODI series, Patel should at least be fielded in the first team in a couple of matches. Moreover, he should be sent to play full series in place of Jadeja whenever India tours countries like Zimbabwe, West Indies and Bangladesh.

Patel has done well in the limited opportunities that he has got

Axar has been phenomenal in the IPL for Kings XI Punjab

It is not that the 23-year old Gujarat lad hasn’t played any match for India yet. In 30 ODIs for India, he has picked up 35 wickets at an average of 30.20 and economy of 4.38. And when it comes to playing T20Is for India, the number of matches amounts to just seven in which he has accounted for as many wickets at an average of 23.00 and an excellent economy rate of 5.96.

He has proved his mettle as far as it is concerned with his bowling. However, he hasn’t proved anything with his batting yet. In 30 ODIs his batting numbers read just 170 runs at an average of 14.16 and just 62 runs in 7 T20Is at an average of 20.66.

However, statistics of 1163 first-class runs at an average of 48.45 in 23 matches is an evidence of his more-than-handy batting abilities. What has also stood over the last couple of years is his performances in the IPL where he has shown his ability to strike it big with the willow in the death overs. He has been a vital cog of the Kings XI Punjab franchise over the past three years contributing heavily with both the bat and the ball. His athletic fielding ability is also something that makes him an attractive limited overs asset.

Selectors need to give him as much opportunities as possible

At the moment, Axar is more of a limited-overs format player than a player suitable for the longer format of the game. However, Jadeja was also deemed to be one such player during the early part of his career. But, once the selectors showed faith in him picking him up for the Test squad, he silenced all his critics. He never looked back since then and is one of the top Test all-rounders and bowlers in the world at the moment. The same can be the case with Axar who has loads and loads of talent and potential in him.

But, the selectors need to give him the go in the white jersey in order to unearth the hidden potential of a Test player in him. He averages around 49 with the bat and has 79 wickets to his name at an average of 30.37 in 23 first class matches. The bowling stats may not sound to be that great but he will only get better with experience. After all, that’s what grooming is all about – developing the skills of an individual step by step according to the right situations.