Axar Patel ruled out of remaining T20I series against South Africa; replacement announced

India have suffered a setback ahead of the business end of the five-match T20I series against South Africawith all-rounder Axar Patel excluded from the remaining two matches due to illness. A domestic left-arm spinning all-rounder has been called up as his replacement for the fourth T20I in Lucknow and the series finale in Ahmedabad, as confirmed by the BCCI.

India loses an important all-round option with Axar Patel sidelined

BCCI stated that Axar will remain with the squad in Lucknow where he will undergo further medical assessment even if he sits out the last two matches. The 30-year-old had already missed the third T20I in Dharamsala where India still cruised to a seven-wicket win despite his absence and took a 2-1 lead in the series.

Axar’s campaign saw mixed returns in the first two matches: he contributed a composite 23 off 21 and match-changing figures of 2 for 7 in Cuttack, before returning 1 for 27 from three overs and a run-a-ball 21 in a failed No. 3 experiment in New Chandigarh during a 214-run chase. His departure is accompanied by the temporary unavailability of the spearhead jasprit bumrahwho missed the match in Dharamsala due to personal reasons, forcing India to lean Kuldeep Yadav And Harshit Ranaboth of whom responded impressively in the third T20I win.​

With Axar’s ability to bowl in the powerplay, control the middle overs and provide quick runs in the order, India will lose a vital part of their balance just months before finalizing plans for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The remaining two matches in Lucknow and Ahmedabad, both on larger grounds with traditionally responsive deliveries for spinners, would have been ideal conditions for Axar’s defensive control and batting depth at No. 7.

Like-for-like replacement for Axar Patel

In Axar’s absence Shahbaz Ahmed‘s recall gives India an all-round option for left-arm spin bowling, even if he is still on the fringes of the international order. The 30-year-old has previously represented India in three ODIs and two T20Is, with his last appearance coming in the gold medal match of the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou against Afghanistan.​

Shahbaz’s recent domestic form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy was modest, with 60 runs in five innings for Bengal at a strike rate of just over 130 and four wickets at an economy rate above eight, underscoring that this call is more about role fit and team continuity than current figures. At the wider T20 level, his record of 114 matches of 1,355 runs at an average in the mid-20s and a strike rate in the mid-130s, along with over 70 wickets at less than eight runs per over, reflects a good all-rounder capable of holding an end and chipping in with crucial runs.

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India, who lead 2-1 heading into Lucknow and Ahmedabad, will now assess whether Shahbaz will slot straight into the XI as a third spin option alongside Kuldeep and possibly a part-time spinner. With South Africa needing wins in both remaining matches to clinch the series, Shahbaz’s inclusion not only covers Axar’s role but also provides the team management with a new data point while fine-tuning the pool of spin-bowling all-rounders for future white-ball assignments.

India’s squad for the last two T20Is

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (Vice Capt), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed.

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