Akshar Patel is giving Ravindra Jadeja some stiff competition for the second spinner’s place in team India. He has been brilliant in the three One Day matches that he has played this season, getting a couple of wickets in every match with an economy of three, three and a half. He showed his utility with the bat too the other day, hitting two consecutive sixes off his first two balls and that too off the bowling of Dhammika Prasad who bowls quite quick.
India would not pick three spinners for the World Cup, that’s for sure. Ravichandran Ashwin, being an off spinner, is going to be there without any doubt. Now, the fight is between Jadeja and Akshar for the second place.
The thing which goes in the favour of Jadeja is his consistency in the last 2-3 years, but, the recent form is what the selectors would give importance to while finalizing the squad of 15.
Jadeja is surely a better batsman than Akshar. He is more experienced. Playing with MS Dhoni at the international level and also, at the franchise level, he has learnt the art of finishing quite well.
But, bowling wise, he has deteriorated in the recent times. He doesn’t even look like getting wickets on flat decks and goes for runs too. Akshar is not an attacking bowler either, but, he, at least, controls the run flow and he is no mug with the bat.
MS Dhoni’s take would influence the decision of the selectors surely. The Indian captain is a big admirer of Jadeja and has time and time again shielded his place in the team when the left-armer has gone through lean patches. It would be interesting to see if he does that again.