The exclusion of Rishabh Pant from India’s Playing XI from the first ODI against England raised a few eyebrows initially. The Indian team management preferred KL Rahul as the team’s wicketkeeper for the match.
However, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that it is not Rahul who will keep Pant out of the Playing XI for the Champions Trophy 2025. Manjrekar reckoned that Pant will find it difficult to come into the Playing XI because of the allrounder Axar Patel.
Axar made a vital contribution with the bat in the first ODI against England. With India having plenty of right-handers in the top order, Axar was sent above KL Rahul at No. 5 to tackle England’s legspinner Adil Rashid and he struck a brilliant 52 off 47 balls.
Also read: Alex Carey achieves a historic feat that even Adam Gilchrist couldn’t, becomes first Aussie wicketkeeper to….
Rishabh Pant’s return to be delayed due to Axar Patel: Sanjay Manjrekar
While speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar spoke about Rishabh Pant’s prospects of getting into India’s Playing XI for the Champions Trophy. However, he felt that Axar’s excellent knock has given the confidence to the selectors to play him up the batting order which will fulfil the role of a left-hander in the top six.
“Before the match started, there was a suggestion from me that maybe Rishabh Pant could be tried only with the Champions Trophy in mind. Plus, India would have a left-hander in the top six or seven,” Manjrekar said.
“Axar Patel is a great option to have because this is a guy, we have seen him bat in Test matches for India and he has a batter’s temperament. Boy, he looked good against spinners (in the first ODI),” he noted.
Axar’s ability to play spin well in the middle overs has raised the chances of him being used as a floater in the Champions Trophy. The left-hander has played a few substantial knocks in Test cricket on pitches in the subcontinent.
Sanjay Manjrekar hails Axar Patel
Further speaking in the same video, Sanjay Manjrekar admitted that India has a problem while playing spin in the middle overs phase. He feels that Axar Patel is a good option in those overs as he has the ability to tackle the spinners as a left-hander.
“India have had a problem in the middle overs where they have struggled to find batters who are competent against spin. Because this Champions Trophy is going to be played in our part of the world, there’s going to be a lot of spin impact on the games,” Manjrekar reckoned.
“Axar Patel is a terrific option to have in the middle, thereby perhaps delaying Rishabh Pant’s chances of coming back in. Now, they have found a left-hander that they can bat in the middle,” he concluded.
India prefer KL Rahul ahead of Rishabh Pant
India’s Champions Trophy games will be played in Dubai which is likely to assist the spinners more. Rishabh Pant was expected to have a chance to come into the Playing XI ahead of KL Rahul as he is a left-hander.
However, the Indian team management decided to persist with KL Rahul as the keeper and found a way to play a left-hander in the form of Axar Patel in the middle order. While Axar batted at No. 5, KL Rahul was demoted to No. 6.
India won the first ODI at Nagpur and are 1-0 up in the series. The second match of the three-match ODI series will be played in Cuttack on February 9.
Leave feedback about this