‘It should have been R Ashwin or Rahul Chahar’: Fans question decision to replace Axar Patel with Shardul Thakur

In the latest turn of events, the All-India Senior Selection Committee in discussion with the team management has brought in Shardul Thakur who was first a stand-by player into the 15-member squad.

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bowler has, however, now replaced all-rounder Axar Patel, who was part of the squad and now added to the list of stand-by players.

India’s squad for ICC T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Rahul Chahar, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami

Stand-by players: Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Axar Patel

Soon after the news of the same was out, netizens started questioning the selection committee asking why Axar Patel was removed to accommodate ‘Lord’ Shardul Thakur.

According to cricket fans, they feel Axar’s form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been good and not him but, not so in form spinner R Ashwin and Rahul Chahar could be removed instead.

* Axar who was doing fantastic is out. * Rahul chahar & Ashwin who is doing wrost is still there. * Yuzi chahal who is doing fantastic has no place. * V. Iyer batsman as net bowler.

50 shades of bcci#TeamIndia

— vivek (@Vivek_singh125) October 13, 2021

Replacing Axar with Shardul a bad call. If it had to be done, it had to be done with Chahar or Ashwin. Can understand why Ashwin is there because there’s no other off spinner.

But Axar was the superior spinner. Maybe second best after Varun. Disappointing call IMO. https://t.co/bYQLriCoWt

— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) October 13, 2021

Shardul Thakur deserved to be in the World Cup squad on merit.

Having said that it should have been Ashwin who made way and not Axar Patel.

Of course the off-spinner argument can be made of Ashwin, but I don’t think any of the teams in our group have left-hander heavy lineups.

— Bubba Gump Shrimp Company (@wildcardgyan) October 13, 2021

This is so stupid. You are basically dropping Axar for doing good? While Ashwin and Chahar are still in the squad.

Thakur deserved a Place, But not at the expense of Axar https://t.co/e4A0Z4FJyd

— Nik (@IRONlK) October 13, 2021

Akshar did better than both Shardul & Ashwin but still got replaced by Shardul and Ashwin with poor form still in team. Wtf is this selection also no chahal https://t.co/Kl8rbHmrMd

— . (@vp1817) October 13, 2021

Team India has also kept the following cricketers to assist them in their preparations: Avesh Khan, Umran Malik, Harshal Patel, Lukman Meriwala, Venkatesh Iyer, Karn Sharma, Shahbaz Ahmed and K. Gowtham.