Cricketer-turned-commentator Wasim Jaffer has urged the Indian team management to bring in another all-rounder Axar Patel to the playing 11 for the 2nd ODI against West Indies. Rohit Sharma-led side would like to seal the series winning the second game after securing the 1st game in dominating fashion.
In the first game in Barbados, India opted to bowl first on the wicket that had assistance for the bowlers, as the Indian bowlers utilized the conditions to their favour to bowl out the Men in Maroon for just 114 runs as Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav combined to pick up seven wickets, as India won the game by 5 wickets completing the chase in 22 overs.
With the game being played in the same venue, Wasim Jaffer wants Axar Patel to be part of the team for the 2nd game, as the surface may offer assistance to the spinner and he can also be a valuable addition to the batting lineup and reckons that the surface has no real assistance to pacers.
“Getting in Axar [on the change in the playing XI]. You saw the ball spin, so probably he coming in and playing his role as a spinner. He also adds another quality batter to that line-up. There’s not much for the seamers even though it’s a bit two-paced, a little bit up and down,” Wasim Jaffer said.
Axar Patel has emerged as a new match-winner for India in all three formats of the game. Given his excellent all-round abilities, Patel could be a good addition to the Indian team going forward, as the Men in Blue will play a lot of cricket in Sub-continental in the next four months.
Getting Axar In For Another Fast Bowler Would Be Good Thing – Wasim Jaffer
Wasim Jaffer believes that Axar Patel will have a huge role to play in the ODI World Cup later this year, as he got the ability to contribute to the team’s success in all three departments and wants him to play the game ahead of the other pacer in the team.
“If we can get Axar in… In this context, we probably won’t need Axar, but in the larger picture, I see him playing a bigger role in the World Cup and ODI cricket. Getting Axar in for another fast bowler would be a good thing,” Wasim Jaffer added.
Apart from his bowling abilities Axar Patel has improved his batting drastically in the last two years and can play at any position for the team. A left-and-right-hand batting partnership in the middle overs will help the Indian team tackle the spinners better in the middle-overs.