Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said that Team India should use left-arm spinner Axar Patel with the new ball in their 2024 T20 World Cup semifinals against England on Thursday as well. He again said that the crafty spinner would trouble English openers Jos Buttler and Philip Salt as well.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said: “A spinner like Axar Patel bowling to Jos Buttler and Salt, he has got two toys. He can bowl a fantastic arm ball. He can slow the ball down. He can also slide it in with the arm. Which makes it three toys in his favour. In the first over, the batter is still getting into the groove. So, when the intent is slightly less, these toys can hit him on the pad. The arm ball that he swings in the back foot, Salt is a tough back foot player. Jos Buttler’s trajectory is low. When you look at it, it is a good thing for Axar Patel to bowl the first over.”

Ravichandran Ashwin also stated that Axar Patel has had an impressive run at the 2024 T20 World Cup so far. He has picked up five wickets from six outings which came at an economy rate of 7.21. And, the veteran spinner has backed him as well.

“Axar Patel in powerplay, especially considering Jos Butler’s match-up against him. He gets him out very often. When you consider that, is that an exceptional case where you can use Axar? It has been Axar’s World Cup. Might not be in terms of wickets or runs. But wherever he turns, in that crucial change-maker, Axar has come three times,” he shared.

“I would say, Arshdeep Singh first over. If the ball swings, second over, maybe Jasprit Bumrah. Jasprit Bumrah has troubled Jos Buttler a lot to set up the tone. If the ball doesn’t swing, there is a good chance to go straight to Axar. In fact, I would even think if the ball swings, I will even think of Hardik Pandya. Just so that I want Bumrah cushion in the back half,” Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.