Mumbai: Indian all-rounder Axar Patel has been ruled out of the five-match home series against South Africa due to ill health, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Monday.
Axar, who had mixed returns in the first two T20Is in Cuttack and New Chandigarh respectively, was also ruled out of the third in Dharamsala.
Meanwhile, as per the latest update, the 31-year-old has now been ruled out of the rest of the series. However, he will accompany the team in Lucknow and undergo a medical evaluation.
Indian all-rounder Axar Patel has been ruled out of the remaining two (T20) matches against South Africa due to ill health, the BCCI said in a statement.
“However, he remains with the team in Lucknow where he will undergo further medical evaluation,” it added.
The cricket board further shared that fellow all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed will replace Akshar in the Indian squad.
The men’s selection committee has named Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement for the T20Is in Lucknow and Ahmedabad.
Shabazz has represented India in two ODIs and three T20Is, while his most recent international appearance for the Men in Blue came in the 2023 Asian Games final against Afghanistan in Hangzhou.
The fourth and fifth T20Is between India and South Africa are scheduled to be played in Lucknow and Ahmedabad on December 17 and 19 respectively. The home team has a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Updated Indian squad for last two T20Is: Suryakumar Yadav (catch), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Jitesh Sharma (VK), Sanju Samson (VK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakraborty, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Ahmed and Washington Ahmed.