Team India will be without all-rounder Axar Patel for the last two T20Is of the ongoing series against South Africa, as he has been sidelined due to illness. In his place, Shahbaz Ahmed has been called up to join the squad.
According to an official statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Axar remains with the team in Lucknow, where he is being monitored by the medical staff. Incidentally, Lucknow is also the venue for the upcoming fourth T20I.
Axar Misses Consecutive Matches
Axar had already missed the third T20I held in Dharamsala with the same illness. That game also saw Jasprit Bumrah sit out due to personal reasons. Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana were drafted in as replacements, helping India cruise to a seven-wicket victory.
Mixed Performances from Axar
In the first T20I in Cuttack, Axar made a solid all-round contribution. He scored 23 runs and delivered an economical spell, picking up 2 wickets for just 7 runs. However, in the second game at New Chandigarh, his performance was more subdued — claiming one wicket and scoring 21 runs after being promoted up the order in a high chase.
Shahbaz Ahmed Makes a Comeback
Shahbaz Ahmed returns to the national setup for the first time since representing India at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Though experienced in both ODIs and T20Is, the Bengal all-rounder hasn’t featured in international cricket recently.
His recent domestic form has been decent but not spectacular. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 60 runs across five games and took 4 wickets, making a case for his inclusion through consistency rather than standout numbers.
Series Update and What’s Ahead
With a 2–1 lead in the five-match series, India will look to wrap things up in the next two games. After Lucknow, the teams will head to Ahmedabad for the final T20I.
India’s Updated Squad for the Last Two T20Is
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed
