Axar Patel is emerging as India’s ODI star ahead of the 2027 World Cup

Axar Patel’s all-round show in the first ODI against England in Birmingham on Tuesday could have been worth much more than his unbeaten 57 and figures of 4/62. It boosted the team management’s long-term plans to make it India’s leading World Cup champion in the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.The last eight months have been turbulent for Axar in T20 cricket. He was dropped for the World Cup match against South Africa in Ahmedabad in March despite being vice-captain and despite spending more than two years establishing himself as an indispensable part of India’s white-ball set-up. He even overtook Ravindra Jadeja in the pecking order during this period and played a key role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup winning campaign.While his T20 form has fluctuated, India’s ODI plans remain firmly tied to him. TOI understands that the selectors are reluctant to use Jadeja again as a first-choice option in the format. With limited spin-bowling all-rounders available and Kuldeep Yadav offering little batting depth, management wants a spinner capable of batting in the top seven while allowing the side to attack at a pace that suits South Africa’s conditions.“Jadej’s cricket in white-ball cricket has not been up to par for quite some time now. He played in the ICC Champions Trophy in March 2025 as India expected a spin on the pitch in Dubai. Also, his batting is not up to the standard of the 2019 World Cup,” a BCCI source told TOI.“The team management will largely need one leading player in the playing XI in South Africa. It will be a bonus if Washington Sundar plays. That’s why Axar’s form is so critical. Harsh Dubey is being groomed as his backup,” the source added. Axar’s revival in Birmingham followed a period of introspection. The left-hander admitted he has struggled in recent months after trying too hard to force the pace during T20 innings.“It was very important for me to put in this kind of performance. I had to stay focused rather than think it will happen by itself. I felt I was trying to hit the ball too hard during the T20I,” Axar said after the match. “When you go to bat in the death overs, you have no option but to go for big shots, but I was losing my form a bit. In this game, after we had a great start, I just wanted to build a partnership,” he added.Axar has spent much of his career in Jadeja’s shadow. Being left out in Ahmedabad earlier this year couldn’t have been easy. Still, performances like the one in Birmingham reinforce his claim to a role that now comes with greater clarity and responsibility. For India, a run to the 2027 World Cup may hinge on whether Axar can transform from a reliable support act to a leading man.