Former Pakistan player Salman Butt stated that left-arm spinner Axar Patel won’t be the best choice who could replace Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI. He also claimed that Axar could replace Jadeja in the future, but added that he is in a different league now.
Axar Patel was in great form for Team India in their last home Test series against England. He picked up 27 wickets in three innings and played an important role in India’s victory. Ravindra Jadeja, however, missed that series due to an injury. Now both of them have been added for the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand at home as well.
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Sharing his views on this, Salman Butt told: “Axar Patel is extremely talented, but Ravindra Jadeja is a complete player. Be it batting, bowling or fielding, he is an outstanding team man. So definitely when one player goes, his replacement comes.”If you don’t have Jadeja, then you have Axar Patel, but at the moment, I don’t think Axar and Jadeja are in the same league. Axar is very talented and can take that place in the future, but Jadeja is the better option right now.”
However, he also named Ravichandran Ashwin and Nathan Lyon are the top two spinners in world cricket right now. He also mentioned Yasir Shah and Keshav Maharaj are doing well. However, Ravichandran Ashwin will be in action when India will take on New Zealand in the Test series starting on November 25 in Kanpur. Meanwhile, Nathan Lyon will play for Australia during the Ashes series next month as well.
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“I think there are 2-3 very good spinners. Ashwin is one, Nathan Lyon is another. They are top-quality spinners. Yasir Shah has not played much of late. He took 200 wickets very quickly.”I think there are very few spinners right now who can perform well in Test cricket across the world. Keshav Maharaj is an excellent spinner as well,” Salman Butt answered during a Q & A session with his fans in the video.
