Axar Patel Faces Difficult Period as T20I Bowling Economy Rates Rise

Axar Patel is facing a difficult phase in T20 international cricket as his bowling economy rate and control over his deliveries see a noticeable decline.

Bowling Struggles

Since the World Cup, Axar has played 17 T20Is and conceded 9.1 runs an over, which is a major spike from his previous economy rate of 7.7. When excluding the Asian Games and a match against Japan, his economy rate worsens further across various conditions. Opposing batters have scored heavily against him, including 11.14 runs an over by England, 12.21 by the West Indies, and 12.75 by Finn Allen and his teammates. His traditional strengths of pace modulation and precise control over length and angles have faltered, leading to missed targets and loose deliveries.

Team Options

As a crucial enforcer who once strangled batters and built dot-ball pressure, his current form leaves selectors with tough choices. Alternative options like Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy offer wicket-taking abilities but weaken batting depth, while other contenders include Washington Sundar and Krunal Pandya.

Context

Axar Patel has been a key pillar of past T20 World Cup-winning squads due to his ability to control the run rate and contribute down the order. Bowlers in the shortest format often experience phases where small margins in length and pace lead to heavy punishment from aggressive hitters.