Chennai: Spin bowling all-rounder Axar Patel was ruled out Friday of the first Test against England. Axar Patel complained of pain in his left knee. Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem from Jharkhand and Rajasthan leg-spinner Deepak Chahar have been included in the main squad. “Axar Patel has been ruled out of the first Test against England. The all-rounder complained of pain in his left knee during Team India’s optional training session Thursday,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah stated in a press release issued Friday.
“Axar is being monitored by the BCCI medical team. While his detailed reports are awaited, he will not be available for selection for the opening match,” Shah further stated.
Axar was picked as a replacement for star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. The latter is also recovering from an injury he suffered during Australian tour. Axar was in line to make his Test debut before injury struck.
“The All-India senior selection committee has added spinners Shahbaz Nadeem and Rahul Chahar to India’s squad. Both Nadeem and Chahar have been training with Team India as part of the standby group of players,” the release also stated.