‘Poor Axar’, Thakur Takes Spinner’s Place In India’s T20 WC Squad & Fans Are Furious

Hardik Pandya’s fitness concern coupled with his poor performance gave the selectors a major headache ahead of the T20 World Cup. 

Speculations were rife whether he will be dropped from the squad if he failed to prove his bowling fitness and if yes, who will take his place.

© Reuters

Names like Shardul Thakur and Venkatesh Iyer were doing rounds but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has put all the rumours to rest by adding the former to the 15-member squad.

But interestingly, Thakur hasn’t replaced Pandya but has come in place of left-arm orthodox Axar Patel, who has been unlucky to miss out despite doing well for Delhi Capitals in the second phase of the IPL. 

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee after a discussion with the team management has added Shardul Thakur to the main squad. All-rounder Axar Patel, who was part of the 15-member squad will now be on the list of stand-by players,” the BCCI said in its press release. 

NEWS : Shardul Thakur replaces Axar Patel in #TeamIndia‘s World Cup squad. #T20WorldCup

More Details

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 13, 2021

Thakur has swapped places with Patel who has joined Shreyas Iyer and Deepak Chahar in the standby players’ list. 

Although the BCCI didn’t explain the rationale behind swapping places between two players of completely different attributes, it is understood that the decision has been made considering Pandya’s fitness concerns.

Apart from being a brilliant bowler, Thakur can also contribute with the bat towards the fag end of the innings. He is not as capable a batter as Pandya is, but with his two match-defining knocks in the fourth Test against England last month, he showed the whole world what he is capable of doing with the bat when he is on a song.

© Twitter/BCCI

On the selectors’ part, the decision seems to be a well-thought-out one but fans feel it was a bit hard on Patel who had to make way for Thakur without any fault of his. 

Fans were furious with the fact that instead of dropping Pandya or out-of-form players like Rahul Chahar and Ravichandran Ashwin, the selectors punished Patel and deprived him of a chance to play his first major tournament for the country.

Lord Is Here #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/AUHlGEI2OU

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 13, 2021

But he should have get selected in place of Hardik and yuzi in place of axar

— Manjyot Wadhwa (@Manjyot68915803) October 13, 2021

So bizzare. If Axar was to be replaced, made sense to get Chahal in place of him. Shardul ofcourse makes sense, but instead of Hardik. Very weird.

— Abijit Ganguly (@AbijitG) October 13, 2021

What special Rahul Chahar has done in UAE to be a part of WT20 Squad, But the likes of Axar and Chahal who’ve done tremendously well are still not the part ?

Shardul is Understandable, Since Hardik is not an all rounder anymore.

— Anshuman (@AnshumanTweets_) October 13, 2021

If Shardul Thakur can replace Inform Axar Patel for team goodness
Why not Chahal in form R Chahar?#T20WorldCup

— Guru (@okguru123) October 13, 2021

Shocking..Axar is in so good form can’t understand this swap. Ofc lord shardul is great but rplcng him with axar I can’t understand this.

— Saketh Reddy (@SakethR87568651) October 13, 2021

Understandable bringing Shardul in but Axar is having his best IPL . I would rather have Shardul for Rahul Chahar or maybe even Ashwin considering their form.

— Omega Typhoon (@Omegamegh20) October 13, 2021

Yeh kya mazak h Ashwin and Chahar kon se form m h

— Abhinav (@Abhi99904652079) October 13, 2021

Wow no place for for Chahal still, Axar has been the best of the business in this IPL, should have replaced someone else

— BIBHU (@CricFreakBK) October 13, 2021

Lord Is Here #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/AUHlGEI2OU

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 13, 2021

But he should have get selected in place of Hardik and yuzi in place of axar

— Manjyot Wadhwa (@Manjyot68915803) October 13, 2021

So bizzare. If Axar was to be replaced, made sense to get Chahal in place of him. Shardul ofcourse makes sense, but instead of Hardik. Very weird.

— Abijit Ganguly (@AbijitG) October 13, 2021

What special Rahul Chahar has done in UAE to be a part of WT20 Squad, But the likes of Axar and Chahal who’ve done tremendously well are still not the part ?

Shardul is Understandable, Since Hardik is not an all rounder anymore.

— Anshuman (@AnshumanTweets_) October 13, 2021

If Shardul Thakur can replace Inform Axar Patel for team goodness
Why not Chahal in form R Chahar?#T20WorldCup

— Guru (@okguru123) October 13, 2021

Shocking..Axar is in so good form can’t understand this swap. Ofc lord shardul is great but rplcng him with axar I can’t understand this.

— Saketh Reddy (@SakethR87568651) October 13, 2021

Understandable bringing Shardul in but Axar is having his best IPL . I would rather have Shardul for Rahul Chahar or maybe even Ashwin considering their form.

— Omega Typhoon (@Omegamegh20) October 13, 2021

Yeh kya mazak h Ashwin and Chahar kon se form m h

— Abhinav (@Abhi99904652079) October 13, 2021

Wow no place for for Chahal still, Axar has been the best of the business in this IPL, should have replaced someone else

— BIBHU (@CricFreakBK) October 13, 2021 

Other than three standby players, the BCCI also announced a list of players who have been asked to stay back in the UAE to help Indian players in their preparations. 

Avesh Khan, Umran Malik, Harshal Patel, Lukman Meriwala, Venkatesh Iyer, Karn Sharma, Shahbaz Ahmed and K. Gowtham will join Team India’s bio-bubble in Dubai and assist the players in the nets.

India’s Revised Squad For T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami