Spinners’ workload was almost minimal in India’s recently concluded Test series against England. Now, over a month-and-a-half remains for India’s next Test assignment, which gives them some time to sort matters out in the bid for consistency in the longest format.
Two Tests each against the West Indies and South Africa at home, beginning from October 2, are in store for the Shubman Gill-led side when they get back to the Test format. No wonder the home conditions are going to be spin-friendly, an advantage for India over the two visiting sides.
In all likelihood, India will be going in with an extra spinner in their XI. Unless all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar are indisposed, they are as good as automatic choices following their performance with the bat in England. Who could then come in as the third spinner? That’s one of the aspects that the team management needs to be quite clear about before the four home Tests.
Axar Patel during a training session
Though chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav was benched during the entire England series, his variations certainly make him a strong contender. That implies the pressure will be on the other left-arm spinner all-rounder, Axar Patel.
The last time Axar featured in a Test was in February 2024 against England in Visakhapatnam. Since then, his role has been confined to limited-overs cricket despite consistent showing with both ball and bat in red-ball cricket.
Axar was in the squad against both Bangladesh and New Zealand at home last year. But in the Bangladesh Tests, India went in with Jadeja and the now-retired Ravichandran Ashwin. Against the Black Caps, Washington was the third spinner alongside Jadeja and Ashwin.
“There’s still some time in hand before the next Test series. Of course, Axar will be in the squad, provided fitness issues don’t bug him.
“If he’s fully fit by the time the home Tests begin, there’s a good chance of his selection as the third spinner after Jadeja and Washy. You can’t count his experience off, even though Kuldeep’s variations will be key,” a BCCI official told The Telegraph on Thursday.
“If Axar is 100 per cent fit, it may not be easy to make him keep warming the bench.”
Axar’s last competitive appearance was the Delhi Capitals’ game against Gujarat Titans on May 18 at the Kotla during IPL 2025. He then missed the Capitals’ last two matches due to illness.
Axar had also sustained an injury to his left palm during the Capitals’ home match against Kolkata Knight Riders, following a cut to his left index finger during the Champions Trophy earlier.
If fitness concerns don’t crop up for Axar when the selectors get down to finalising the Asia Cup squad, he should be playing some of the matches in the competition, if not all. And, a successful Asia
Cup campaign will certainly keep him in rhythm, which should be crucial for him going forward.
The Asia Cup begins on September 9, with India’s first match the next day.
Dark horse
Harsh Dubey, the highest wicket-taker in last season’s Ranji Trophy with 69 scalps from just 10 appearances, could well go on to be the dark horse for a place in the Test squad.
The Vidarbha left-arm orthodox has also been selected in the Central Zone team for this season’s Duleep Trophy. If the 23-year-old impresses, it won’t be surprising if his name comes up for discussion ahead of the Windies or the South Africa Tests.
Amount of turn
At Eden Gardens — the venue for the first Test against South Africa from November 14 — the nature of the soil doesn’t really allow preparation of a rank turner. But the conditions in Ahmedabad and New Delhi (for the Windies Tests) as well as Guwahati (venue for the second Test against the Proteas) are expected to aid the spinners.
Now, will India again go for rank turners in these venues, especially after the embarrassing 0-3 loss to the Black Caps last year? Rank turners may still work against the Windies, owing to their extremely fragile batting. But, if India are to bat last against South Africa, it may not be the wisest idea to repeat, as left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj is a much-improved bowler than what he was six years ago.
With crucial World Test Championship points up for grabs, India will have to be strategically correct this time.
