Axar Patel may sit out Sunday’s Super Four meeting with Pakistan after taking a blow to the head while fielding in Friday night’s win over Oman in Abu Dhabi.
The incident came in the 15th over of Oman’s chase. Sprinting in from mid-off, Axar spilled a high chance offered by Hammad Mirza, lost his footing and thudded face-first into the turf. He stayed down for a few moments, clutching the side of his head and neck, before India’s physio guided him from the field. He did not return.
India used eight bowlers in the 21-run victory, so Axar’s absence did not alter the result, but it leaves the management with less than 48 hours to decide whether he can take on Pakistan in Dubai. Fielding coach T Dilip tried to play down the worry afterwards, saying Axar was “fine”, yet the player must still clear the concussion protocols that all teams now follow.
Axar had earlier helped India reach 188 for 8, crashing 26 off 13 balls in a lively fourth-wicket stand of 45 with Sanju Samson, who top-scored with 56. That cameo underlined why team-mates like having the left-armer in the middle order: he starts briskly and can turn matches in a handful of deliveries.
If he is ruled out, India’s bowling balance shifts. They have relied on three spinners whenever possible in Dubai, but the current squad lists only two other specialist options, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. Chakravarthy was rested against Oman to give the seamers more overs, while Kuldeep played. Drafting in a replacement at short notice is possible—stand-bys Riyan Parag and Washington Sundar are both in the UAE—though travelling between bio-secure venues is not always straightforward.
The selection puzzle is more than just numbers. On the slowest surfaces India have preferred Axar, whose flat, darting left-arm spin complements Kuldeep’s wrist-spin. Take him out and Pakistan’s right-hand heavy order might line up India’s seamers more freely, especially through the middle overs.
A few practical considerations wait:
• Concussion checks: medical staff usually look at a 24-hour window before allowing any return.
• Training time: India have only a light session pencilled in for Saturday evening.
• Match-ups: Pakistan’s middle order, with Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed, is known for nudging against spin and counter-attacking pace.
In short, India would rather have Axar on the field than off it, even if he bowls only two overs. As one senior support-staff member muttered while leaving the ground, “We’ll tick the boxes and see how he wakes up tomorrow.”
The player himself kept a low profile, heading straight for the team hotel. One teammate, asked if Axar had complained of dizziness, simply shrugged: “He’s talking, walking—looks okay, but you never know with knocks to the head.”
India will announce their XI an hour before the toss on Sunday. Until then Axar Patel remains, quite literally, touch and go.
