Axar Patel will miss the final two T20Is of the series against South Africa after being ruled out due to illness. The all-rounder remains with the squad in Lucknow for further medical assessment, but his place in the playing XI for the remaining matches has been taken by Shahbaz Ahmed.

Axar ruled out, Shahbaz Ahmed called up

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that Axar Patel has been ruled out of the fourth and fifth T20Is scheduled to be played in Lucknow and Ahmedabad. The Men’s Selection Committee has named Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement for the last two matches of the five-match series.

While Axar is unavailable for selection, he is staying with the team in Lucknow where he will undergo further medical evaluation. The exact nature of his illness has not been disclosed by the BCCI, but the decision to keep him with the squad suggests he will be monitored closely before any decisions are made about his availability for future assignments.

India’s updated T20I squad

The updated 15-member squad for the remaining two T20Is is:

Suryakumar Yadav ©, Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed.

Shahbaz Ahmed is a left-arm orthodox spinner and useful lower-order batter who plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL. He brings similar all-round skills to Axar, offering both spin-bowling control and batting depth, making him a like-for-like replacement in the squad balance.

Series update and upcoming matches

India currently lead the five-match T20I series 2-1 after winning the third T20I in Dharamsala by seven wickets. The fourth T20I will be played in Lucknow on December 17, followed by the series finale in Ahmedabad on December 19. A win in either of the remaining matches will seal the series for India.

Axar Patel has been a key all-rounder for India across formats, providing crucial overs in the middle phase with his left-arm spin and contributing valuable runs in the lower middle order. His absence will be felt, but India have enough depth in their squad with Washington Sundar and now Shahbaz Ahmed available to fill the spin all-rounder role.