The selectors have chosen Shubman Gill as India’s vice-captain for the Asia Cup. As I have argued before, Gill is a very good player and a deserving candidate. He was the vice-captain when he was last part of the T20 set-up, and they have given the responsibility back to him with the Asia Cup and World Cup on the horizon.
In doing so, Axar Patel, who was doing the job for a while, has been ignored. That’s where the question crops up – have we given Axar his due and have we celebrated his contributions enough? Also, has the decision to give the job back to Gill put any additional pressure on Axar and his place in the team?
Take the 2024 T20 World Cup final. We celebrate Virat Kohli’s effort in the final, and justly so. We celebrate Suryakumar Yadav’s sensational catch and Hardik Pandya’s bowling effort. But the real clincher in the final was Axar’s 31-ball 47. India were off to a very poor start with Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant dismissed early, and even Surya failed to get going. Kohli was struggling initially, and it was Axar who turned the game on its head with his innings of 47, studded with four sixes. And yet, it isn’t often mentioned, much like Gautam Gambhir’s 97 in the 2011 World Cup final had lost out to MS Dhoni’s match-winning effort.
Axar, who isn’t much of a brand, has been one of India’s best T20 players in recent times. He has been given challenging roles by the team management, and more often than not, he has been up to the task. He was used as a floater in the US and the Caribbean, and did a stellar job. He bowled well and also took some fantastic catches. And yet, he is hardly mentioned or celebrated by fan groups.
Does Axar get his due? Does he get the respect and the praise that he deserves? Much like Ravindra Jadeja, who has flown under the radar almost all his career, Axar too is one of those silent performers who deserves more. Even in red-ball cricket at home, his contributions have been significant. He has not just made a difference with the ball, but time and again, has rescued India from tricky situations with his batting skills.
In the Asia Cup, Axar will yet again have a key role. He could be asked to go up the order in case India want to use him as a floater, or be asked to finish an innings. He will also bowl the critical middle overs and will be expected to pick up wickets with his left-arm spin. To be able to adapt is a quality, and Axar has done that extremely well. One just hopes the selectors took him into confidence before giving the job to Gill, and explained to him what his role is in the team going forward. He continues to be a key member, and deserves to be treated as such. Respect is what it is about, and he deserves every bit of it.
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