Sunil Gavaskar has backed Axar Patel to fill the void left by Ravindra Jadeja, predicting the Indian vice-captain to become one of the best players in the country’s history after a stunning display in the seven-run semi-final win over England in Mumbai.
Jadeja’s exit from T20Is left a sizable gap in India’s lineup. Gavaskar believes Axar is the man to step into those shoes, pointing to his batting, bowling and cricketing intelligence as qualities that make him an ideal successor.
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“We had Ravindra Jadeja before him and Axar fills that gap well. His bowling needs a bit more polish. That will come with experience. His line, length and pace are improving every year,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Axar highlighted exactly why Gavaskar holds him in such high regard two great fielding hits at key moments in the semi-final against England at the Wankhede Stadium.
He ran 24 meters back from cover to take a blistering catch from Jasprit Bumrah’s slow knife to dismiss the dangerous Harry Brook in the over. Brook looked in an ominous touch and his early elimination proved to be the turning point in the contest.
Axar didn’t do it there. In the 14th over, he caught a cutting shot from Arshdeep Singh before smartly handing the ball to Shivam Dube as he crossed the ropes to remove Will Jacks, breaking a partnership that threatened to take the game away from India.
Gavaskar was full of admiration for both efforts, emphasizing the awareness and quick thinking required to pull them off.
“Axar’s catch to dismiss Brook was unbelievable. Brook can take a game away and you have to take every chance you get to get his wicket,” he said. “That shows great cricketing intelligence.
Gavaskar also pointed to the vice-captaincy as a factor in Axar’s development, suggesting that the added responsibility forces him to think beyond his own game and consider the bigger picture of the team.
With India advancing to the final against New Zealand, Axar’s semi-final heroics only reinforced Gavaskar’s belief that he was the natural heir to one of the greatest Indian cricketers of all time.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
06 March 2026 15:25 IST
