Shardul Thakur replaces Axar Patel in India’s T20 World Cup squad

In India’s T20 World Cup squad for 2021, Shardul Thakur has replaced Axar Patel and meanwhile, Axar, along with Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar, has been included to the squad’s reserve list. Eight players will also join the team’s bubble in Dubai to “help Team India in their preparations” for the competition, according to the BCCI. Avesh Khan, Umran Malik, Harshal Patel, Lukman Meriwala, Venkatesh Iyer, Karn Sharma, Shahbaz Ahmed, and K Gowtham are among those who have been named.

Thakur had a strong IPL season with Chennai Super Kings, who finished second in the league and advanced to the final by winning the first qualifier against Delhi Capitals. In the UAE leg of the tournament, he has 13 wickets, tied for third most in the period. His strikes have come at crucial times, as seen by his Smart Wickets tally of 17.5, which is just behind Yuzvendra Chahal’s 17.62. He hasn’t had much chance to bat, but in the qualifier versus Capitals, he was moved up the order to No. 4 in order to make use of his ball-striking ability. He, on the other hand, was caught off guard by a first-ball duck.

Thakur might fill the seam-bowling allrounder role now held by Hardik Pandya for the Indian team. Hardik did not bowl in the IPL, and if he is unable to do so again in the T20 World Cup, Thakur may be in position to fill the vacuum.

Axar has also had a strong IPL season, particularly in the UAE leg, where his economy rate has been particularly remarkable. He’s likely been demoted to the reserves since Ravindra Jadeja is the team’s first-choice left-arm finger spinning all rounder, while Axar gives a nearly identical option. If Jadeja is injured or unavailable, Axar will be called into the starting lineup.