Despite Axar Patel’s match-winning all-round display in India’s six-wicket victory over England in the first ODI at Edgbaston, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes there is still room for improvement in the left-arm spinner’s bowling. While applauding Axar’s crucial contribution with the bat, Ashwin suggested that the all-rounder’s bowling standards have dipped and also questioned India’s current team combination ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.

India bounced back strongly after a disappointing T20I campaign to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. Axar played a pivotal role in the victory, first claiming career-best ODI figures of 4/62 before producing an unbeaten 57 off 52 balls during a match-winning partnership with Washington Sundar. The duo stitched together an unbroken 102-run stand to guide India home after the visitors found themselves under pressure in the chase.

However, speaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin offered a balanced assessment of Axar’s performance. While he praised the 31-year-old’s batting, he felt the spinner’s bowling lacked its usual sharpness despite the impressive figures.

ALSO READ: VVS Laxman Is The Perfect Fit For CSK after Stephen Fleming: Sadagoppan Ramesh

“After a long time, Axar’s batting looked free-flowing. Many times, because of rotation, a player doesn’t get a consistent run. Axar is naturally a free-flowing batter and bowler. When there is no added pressure of leadership, you see performances like this. I think his batting is in excellent shape. He picked up four wickets, but I still feel there has been a drop in his bowling because he is bowling very ordinary lines these days,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.

Although Axar finished with four wickets, three of those came in the closing stages of the innings, dismissing Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid and Josh Tongue as India wrapped up England for 258.

Ashwin also shifted the focus to India’s long-term planning for the 2027 ODI World Cup. He argued that playing both Axar Patel and Washington Sundar as finger-spinning all-rounders may not provide the ideal balance, particularly in South African conditions where pace is expected to play a significant role.

According to Ashwin, India should consider including wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who has been overlooked in recent ODIs. He believes Harshit Rana’s return from injury could strengthen the batting at No. 8, allowing the team management to include Kuldeep without compromising batting depth.

“Playing two finger-spinning all-rounders won’t be the ideal combination for the 2027 World Cup. Yes, both Axar and Washington scored fifties, but India need three frontline seamers, one pace-bowling all-rounder like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube or Nitish Kumar Reddy, and one spin-bowling all-rounder. Kuldeep Yadav has to be part of that XI, and Harshit Rana’s return could make that possible. I also feel the management hasn’t backed Kuldeep enough,” Ashwin explained.

The former off-spinner further highlighted head coach Gautam Gambhir’s preference for multi-dimensional cricketers but insisted that all-rounders must be fully utilised if they are part of India’s long-term plans.

ALSO READ: Deep Dasgupta Opens Up On Sourav Ganguly’s self-doubt during difficult phase

Ashwin pointed out that Washington Sundar bowled only four overs in the first ODI despite being selected as a bowling all-rounder. He stressed that if Sundar is expected to play a key role at the 2027 World Cup, he must consistently bowl six to ten overs in ODIs to gain the necessary experience.

“If the team management is serious about Washington Sundar, he has to bowl regularly. In South African conditions, he should be contributing at least six or seven overs every game. If he isn’t given that responsibility now, expecting him to deliver on the biggest stage later will be difficult,” Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.