As we near the date for the announcement of India's 15-man squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, there is unrelenting speculation about who will make the cut and who will miss out.
As far as we know the certainties for the squad, Rohit Sharma will be opening the innings for India as the captain of the team. Jasprit Bumrah, who's the leading wicket-taker in IPL 2024, is one of the first names on the team sheet when fit. He's always firing.
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Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav are more or less confirmed to be in not just the squad, but also the playing XI, while Suryakumar Yadav, as the No.1 T20I batsman in the world, makes it to the lineup, too.
Recently, though, there has been a debate regarding which player should make it to the Indian team for the No.7 position. Ravindra Jadeja has made that position his own, thanks to his economical bowling, incredible fielding, and sheer power-hitting.
Now, though, it seems he will be facing fierce competition from another player cut from the same cloth: Axar Patel. The left-armer is enjoying a decent season with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024 and scored a terrific half-century last week.
MORE: Jaiswal vs Gaikwad vs Gill: How have Indian opening hopefuls performed in IPL 2024?
Ex-cricketers raise Ravindra Jadeja vs Axar Patel selection headache with their opinions
Tom Moody, the former Australian cricketer who has also Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL, believed that Axar would be a better finisher at the No.7 spot than Jadeja, while speaking to Star Sports.
I'd be taking Jadeja purely because I'm looking for the best left-arm spinning option. He's the best left-arm spinner in the country. In my eleven, he's not batting at No.7. I don't think he's good enough to bat seven in a World Cup side. He's proven that with his strike rate. You need an impact-type player batting at seven.
Irfan Pathan, who was part of the same panel on Star Sports, echoed Moody's sentiments and mentioned that Jadeja's strike rate at the international level was not good enough for him to land the finisher's role.
This is what I'm really scared about when it comes to World Cup. Look, my worry is with T20 World Cup, we pretty much sorted as far as the top-order batting is concerned. We pretty much sorted in the middle overs as well. If we're thinking Ravindra Jadeja is a number seven batter, you need a good finisher. His numbers are not that great as far as the strike rate is concerned at the international level.
Krishnamachari Srikkanth, though, was unable to come down to a conclusion when it came to choosing between Jadeja and Axar.
I'll tell you what Jadeja will be in the 11, I mean adding on to whatever Irfan had said about his strike rate but Axar will also be in the 15. Axar is also potential match winner you have to understand that. Axar can bat brilliantly, bowl brilliantly, field brilliantly. But the first choice will go to Jadeja at number 7 by sheer experience and the way he's played international cricket in the past and he's a big match player.
Jadeja is a big match player but similarly Axar Patel has done very well so both Jadeja and Axar Patel will be there. Probably the first nod will go to Jadeja for the first match and then probably Axar Patel. Both of them are equally important for me, it’s like my right eye and left eye which one do I choose?
How has Ravindra Jadeja performed in IPL 2024?
| Innings | Runs | Average | S.R. | 4s/6s | 50+ | Best |
| 6 | 157 | 78.50 | 131.93 | 14/2 | 1 | 57* |
| Matches | Overs | Wickets | Average | S.R. | Econ. | 5fers | Best |
| 9 | 31.0 | 5 | 46.80 | 37.20 | 7.54 | 0 | 3/18 |
MORE: Who will make the India squad for 2024 T20 World Cup?
How has Axar Patel performed in IPL 2024?
| Innings | Runs | Average | S.R. | 4s/6s | 50+ | HS |
| 8 | 134 | 26.80 | 135.35 | 9/6 | 1 | 66 |
| Matches | Overs | Wickets | Average | S.R. | Econ. | 5fers | Best |
| 10 | 33.0 | 7 | 34.71 | 28.29 | 7.36 | 0 | 2/35 |
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