(ANI Photo)
When India initially selected four spinners for their 15-man squad in the T20 World Cup 2024, captain Rohit Sharma opted not to explain their inclusion. The squad included Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel for the tournament jointly hosted by the USA and the Caribbean islands.
Now, looking back, it’s evident why Rohit Sharma preferred four spinners, as they have played a crucial role in India’s journey to the World Cup final. Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja have featured in every match, showcasing consistent performances. Kuldeep Yadav joined the squad during the Super 8 stage and has also made significant contributions with 10 wickets to his name.
The spin duo proved pivotal in India’s victory over England in the second semi-final, particularly on a challenging pitch where they combined to claim six wickets.
Looking ahead to the final against South Africa in Bridgetown on Saturday, former India cricketer Sarandeep Singh has highlighted Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel as India’s key weapons.
“If you ask me, who are the two players who will win it for India in the final, I will say Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. They are outright match-winners in spin-friendly conditions,” Sarandeep told news agency PTI.
Sarandeep Singh believes Kuldeep Yadav will dismantle the South African middle-order featuring Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, and David Miller.
“We have the world’s best spinners at the moment. Look at the way Kuldeep and Axar came in, they are winning all the games. They are unplayable. Everyone is talking about Kuldeep. He is going to destroy the South African middle order,” he said.
“He (Kuldeep) has done it against Australia (in Super 8s) and England (in semifinals). Now it’s the turn of South Africa. Axar is also a very dangerous slow left-arm orthodox bowler. An outright match-winner. Indian spinners will win the final,” he added.
According to Sarandeep Singh, Axar Patel eases the workload for his teammates by bowling crucial overs during the Powerplay phase.
“Axar starts getting wickets from the sixth over. It’s not easy for Axar to bowl in powerplay. He comes, bowls, and makes things easy for the rest of the bowlers. Kuldeep and Axar are complementing each other so well,” he said.
“The wickets in West Indies are not easy to play especially if you have world-class spinners like Kuldeep and Axar. It was not easy for England, it will not be easy for South Africa as well,” he added.
He also highlighted that India’s performance has justified Rohit’s choice to include high-caliber spinners in the squad.
“Rohit opted for four spinners but (Yuzvendra) Chahal is not in the scheme of things. The reason is, others have done their job exceedingly well. (Ravindra) Jadeja is the senior-most player but he is not coming into powerplay. Axar knows how to bowl in these conditions. He is the best option for us to bowl into the powerplay. He is giving the results as well,” Sarandeep said.
Sarandeep believes South Africa possesses quality spinners in Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj who will pose a challenge to India’s middle-order batsmen.
“Yes they will. Keshav and Shamsi are also very good. Let’s see how Indian batsmen handle the spinners. India has a very strong middle order. India has left-handers like Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Axar, and Jadeja. Four left-handers in the middle order. It will be interesting to see how Maharaj and Shamsi are going to tackle them. And vice-versa. This will be a big challenge for them also,” he said.
