Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has added that Axar Patel was seemingly treated unfairly since Team India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. However, he also added that the all-rounder’s appointment as Team India’s vice-captain for the upcoming T20I series against England might force the management to use him more effectively as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “Axar Patel has been appointed the vice-captain. He is given very few chances. It seemed like he was being treated unfairly every time. So the selection committee said this time that they would make him the vice-captain. He will have to be played now and made to bowl his entire quota of overs. Axar Patel had a huge role in winning the World Cup, including the final. However, he is either not given a bowl or not made to bat. It was beyond my understanding why Axar Patel wasn’t being treated properly. Now he can discuss with Surya and ask him to let him bowl three to four overs,” he observed.

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In the same video, Aakash Chopra also opined that Varun Chakaravarthy will likely be the only other spinner in India’s playing XI as well.

“Axar Patel will be seen playing and one more spinner will play with him, that will be Varun Chakaravarthy at this point in time. Your XI will be something like this – Abhishek Sharma with Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma at No. 3, Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4, Nitish Kumar Reddy at No. 5, Rinku Singh at No. 6 and Hardik Pandya at No. 7. You could shuffle the batting order a little bit and you will see Axar Patel at No. 8. Only three places are left after that. That will be Varun Chakaravarthy, Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh. So two of your spinners are never going to play. You won’t play three spinners,” Aakash Chopra concluded.