Axar Patel has been ruled out in the third and final ODI against Australia due to a left quadriceps strain. Despite his conditional selection for the Rajkot ODI, he hasn’t healed enough to join the team. Currently, he is undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
Axar Patel’s absence from the team has raised speculation that Ravichandran Ashwin might have a chance to be part of the World Cup. Ashwin has performed exceptionally well in the first two ODIs, taking four wickets and created a lots of problems for Australian batters, especially in the Indore match on Sunday. As a result, there are increasing calls for his inclusion in the World Cup squad. However, sources within the BCCI indicate that Axar Patel, who was chosen ahead of Ashwin initially, is on a path to recovery and is expected to be back in the Indian team before the World Cup.
There are signs suggesting that Axar Patel might be ready for the World Cup warm-up matches. This situation could create a significant dilemma for Ajit Agarkar and his team. Currently, Ashwin’s chances appear promising, and the selectors have not announced a replacement for Axar for the upcoming game. Shubman Gill and Shardul Thakur will not be playing in the Rajkot game as they have been given rest.
The team will see the comeback of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who were rested for the first two games of the current three-match series. Jasprit Bumrah, who was also rested after the first ODI in Mohali and didn’t travel to Indore, is expected to rejoin the squad in Rajkot, where the third and final ODI against Australia is set to take place on September 27.
