# Axar Patel
**Axar Patel** (born 1994, Anand, Gujarat) is an Indian cricketer who bowls slow left-arm orthodox spin and bats left-handed, and who captains the [Delhi Capitals](https://www.edgepedia.org/delhi-capitals) in the [Indian Premier League](https://www.edgepedia.org/indian-premier-league) while serving as India's T20I vice-captain.[1](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/8808/axar-c) • [2](https://www.ipl.com/player/axar-patel) He represents Gujarat in domestic cricket and has been part of India's victories in the [ICC Men's T20 World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/icc-mens-t20-world-cup) 2024 and the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025.[2](https://www.ipl.com/player/axar-patel) • [3](https://bccitv-dev.epicon.in/domestic/men/players/axar-patel/110)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1994, Anand, Gujarat; bats left-handed, bowls left-arm orthodox[1](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/8808/axar-c) |
| Domestic debut | First-class and List A debuts for Gujarat in the 2012-13 season[3](https://bccitv-dev.epicon.in/domestic/men/players/axar-patel/110) |
| Test debut | 13 February 2021 vs England; 27 wickets in his first three Tests[4](https://www.wisden.com/cricket-features/all-rounder-specialist-batter-where-axar-patel-bizarre-test-career-heading-next) |
| Test record | 15 matches, 688 runs at 34.4, 57 wickets at 19.67[1](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/8808/axar-c) |
| IPL record | 176 matches, 2,089 runs at 21.76, 139 wickets at 31.70[5](https://www.delhicapitals.in/players/62576-axar-patel-profile) |
| IPL leadership | Delhi Capitals captain; retained for ₹165 million (₹16.50 crore) for 2026[2](https://www.ipl.com/player/axar-patel) |
| ICC titles | ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025[3](https://bccitv-dev.epicon.in/domestic/men/players/axar-patel/110) |
## Early career and domestic beginnings
Axar took up serious cricket late, starting at 16 after playing tennis-ball cricket with friends in Nadiad, and he said early in his career that he concentrated more on his batting than his bowling.[6](https://www.espn.co.uk/cricket/story/_/id/21166344/axar-patel-focused-improving-batting) • [7](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/137770/axar-patel-the-reluctant-headliner-from-nadiad-who-became-a-t20-world-cup-winner-cricbuzzcom) He made his first-class and List A debuts for Gujarat in the 2012-13 season, and in 2013-14 began producing performances of significance, taking 29 wickets and scoring heavily.[3](https://bccitv-dev.epicon.in/domestic/men/players/axar-patel/110) • [1](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/8808/axar-c)
His IPL career began with the [Mumbai Indians](https://www.edgepedia.org/mumbai-indians) squad that won the franchise's first IPL title in 2013, though he did not make his IPL debut that year; a five-year stay with Kings XI Punjab followed, where he became a regular.[8](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/revealed-the-legend-behind-axars-batting-rise) In 2016 he achieved the rare feat of taking four wickets in five balls against the Gujarat Lions, and his consistent performances earned an INR 50 million (INR 5 crore) bid from the Delhi Capitals in the [2019 IPL auction](https://www.edgepedia.org/2019-ipl-auction).[1](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/8808/axar-c)
## Bowling style
Axar is tall for a finger spinner, delivers from close to the stumps, and bowls at speeds near the top of the range for slow left-arm bowling, often in the high eighties and low nineties of kilometers per hour.[9](https://crickettaken.in/player/axar-patel/axar-patel-2021-england-test-series) His style differs from conventional left-arm spinners in ways that pose particular difficulties for batters, and his core method is bowling back of a length, troubling batters with bounce and accuracy.[7](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/137770/axar-patel-the-reluctant-headliner-from-nadiad-who-became-a-t20-world-cup-winner-cricbuzzcom) • [10](https://www.wisden.com/cricket-news/the-third-wheel-in-indias-spin-attack-axar-patel-is-carving-a-reputation-on-his-own) His variations come with hardly any change in action or release point, which makes them hard to read.[11](https://vajiramandravi.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/2022/10/1/10/28/11/01-10-2022-VAJIRAMRAVI-INDIANEXPRESS.pdf)
The same accuracy has a limitation: on a flat pitch away from home, the method offers batters many deliveries that do nothing at all.[9](https://crickettaken.in/player/axar-patel/axar-patel-2021-england-test-series) In Test cricket he has been used predominantly in home matches, especially on skiddy pitches that suit his bowling.[12](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/acceptance-that-you-will-have-to-sit-out-is-important-axar-101762969151732.html)
## Test career
Axar made his Test debut against England on 13 February 2021, receiving his cap from captain [Virat Kohli](https://www.edgepedia.org/virat-kohli), and formed a partnership with [Ravichandran Ashwin](https://www.edgepedia.org/ravichandran-ashwin) that former England captain [Michael Vaughan](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-vaughan) described as "a masterclass in spin bowling".[13](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/56281185) On dusty pitches offering square turn, he took 27 wickets in his first three Test matches; at that point only two players in Test history had taken more wickets at a better average to start their careers.[4](https://www.wisden.com/cricket-features/all-rounder-specialist-batter-where-axar-patel-bizarre-test-career-heading-next) In that series he batted in the lower middle order and made 84 at Nagpur, 74 in Delhi, and 79 at Ahmedabad, repeatedly repairing unsettled innings.[9](https://crickettaken.in/player/axar-patel/axar-patel-2021-england-test-series)
His batting continued to develop. In the 2022-23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia he made 264 runs in five innings with three half-centuries, the third-highest aggregate for either side behind [Usman Khawaja](https://www.edgepedia.org/usman-khawaja) and Virat Kohli, including 84 in the Nagpur Test of February 2023 from a position where India were still behind; India won that match inside three days.[8](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/revealed-the-legend-behind-axars-batting-rise) • [9](https://crickettaken.in/player/axar-patel/axar-patel-2021-england-test-series) [Ricky Ponting](https://www.edgepedia.org/ricky-ponting), the former Australia captain who worked with Axar at the Delhi Capitals, credited technique changes that opened up his hips and shoulders against right-arm fast bowlers and turned the short ball from a weakness into a strength, and said Axar could hold down a [No. 6](https://www.edgepedia.org/no-6) or No. 7 place in India's Test batting order.[8](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/revealed-the-legend-behind-axars-batting-rise)
His Test record stands at 15 matches, all of them reflecting a career played largely in India, with 688 runs at 34.4 and 57 wickets at 19.67, including best innings figures of 6/38.[1](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/8808/axar-c)
## White-ball career and ICC titles
Axar was long labeled a limited-overs bowler, but his international breakthrough in Tests changed that perception.[10](https://www.wisden.com/cricket-news/the-third-wheel-in-indias-spin-attack-axar-patel-is-carving-a-reputation-on-his-own) In white-ball cricket he competes with Ravindra Jadeja for India's spin all-rounder role; his ODI wickets have come at a better average and strike rate than Jadeja's, and against spin in ODIs he averages 49.8 at a strike rate just above 100, compared with Jadeja's 44.1 at 71.5.[14](https://www.wisden.com/cricket-news/axar-v-jadeja-who-should-be-indias-spin-all-rounder-for-the-world-cup) Since the start of 2023 his batting has improved markedly: across four Tests, five ODIs, and fifteen T20Is he scored 712 combined runs at an average of 44.5, against a pre-2023 average of 19.38 across international cricket and the IPL combined.[14](https://www.wisden.com/cricket-news/axar-v-jadeja-who-should-be-indias-spin-all-rounder-for-the-world-cup)
He played a key role in India's consecutive ICC trophy wins, the T20 World Cup 2024 and the Champions Trophy 2025.[3](https://bccitv-dev.epicon.in/domestic/men/players/axar-patel/110) • [12](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/acceptance-that-you-will-have-to-sit-out-is-important-axar-101762969151732.html) At the 2024 T20 World Cup, India's left-arm spin trio of Axar, Jadeja, and the wrist-spinner [Kuldeep Yadav](https://www.edgepedia.org/kuldeep-yadav) was central to the title run, with the pitches in the Caribbean expected to turn as the tournament progressed.[15](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/axar-patel-kuldeep-yadav-spin-a-web-power-india-to-t20-world-cup-final-9419916/)
## IPL and captaincy
Axar's IPL career spans 176 matches with 2,089 runs at a strike rate of 133.74 and 139 wickets at an economy of 7.41, with best figures of 4/21.[5](https://www.delhicapitals.in/players/62576-axar-patel-profile) He took over as Delhi Capitals captain for the IPL's 18th season, part of a wave of captaincy changes that also included [Ajinkya Rahane](https://www.edgepedia.org/ajinkya-rahane) at [Kolkata Knight Riders](https://www.edgepedia.org/kolkata-knight-riders).[16](https://apnews.com/article/d40e43758ed9addc0cdef425a3f88d9e) The franchise retained him for ₹165 million (₹16.50 crore) for the 2026 season.[2](https://www.ipl.com/player/axar-patel)
He has spoken critically of the IPL's Impact Player rule, arguing that the all-rounder's role is in danger because teams can now field six specialist batters or bowlers depending on the innings.[17](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2024/epaper/april/lucknow-english-edition-2024-04-26.pdf)
## Comparison with Ravindra Jadeja
Axar and Jadeja are the two left-arm orthodox spin-bowling all-rounders competing for the same India spot, and they are frequently compared. In Test batting, Jadeja leads on the key metrics: 4,095 runs at 38.27 with six centuries against Axar's 688 runs at 34.4 with none, and a highest score of 175 against Axar's 84.[18](https://www.ipl.com/player-compare/axar-patel-vs-ravindra-jadeja-test) In Test bowling their averages are close, 19.66 for Axar against 25.11 for Jadeja, though Jadeja's figures come over 89 matches to Axar's 15.[18](https://www.ipl.com/player-compare/axar-patel-vs-ravindra-jadeja-test) Commentators note the difference in role: Jadeja is the more rounded bowler with Test runs scored around the world, while in situations requiring a batter to face spin, Axar is the likelier choice.[19](https://www.espn.com/cricket/story/_/id/43719734/ind-vs-eng-ravindra-jadeja-axar-patel-give-india-good-headache-have) In BCCI central contracts, Jadeja has been retained in the highest pay bracket while Axar remains in Grade C.[20](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/explained-why-ravindra-jadeja-was-retained-in-bccis-highest-pay-bracket-but-axar-patel-remains-in-grade-c-101770721062401-amp.html)
## References
1. [Axar Patel Profile, Cricbuzz](https://www.cricbuzz.com/profiles/8808/axar-c)
2. [Axar Patel (India) IPL Career Stats, IPL](https://www.ipl.com/player/axar-patel)
3. [Axar Patel Profile, Stats, Awards & Videos, BCCI](https://bccitv-dev.epicon.in/domestic/men/players/axar-patel/110)
4. [All-rounder or specialist batter – Where is Axar Patel's bizarre Test career heading next?, Wisden](https://www.wisden.com/cricket-features/all-rounder-specialist-batter-where-axar-patel-bizarre-test-career-heading-next)
5. [Axar Patel Player Profile, Delhi Capitals](https://www.delhicapitals.in/players/62576-axar-patel-profile)
6. [Axar Patel focused on improving batting, ESPN](https://www.espn.co.uk/cricket/story/_/id/21166344/axar-patel-focused-improving-batting)
7. [Axar Patel, the reluctant headliner from Nadiad who became a T20 World Cup winner, Cricbuzz](https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/137770/axar-patel-the-reluctant-headliner-from-nadiad-who-became-a-t20-world-cup-winner-cricbuzzcom)
8. [Revealed: The legend behind Axar's batting rise, ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/revealed-the-legend-behind-axars-batting-rise)
9. [Axar Patel's 27 Wickets: the 2021 England Test Series, CricketTaken](https://crickettaken.in/player/axar-patel/axar-patel-2021-england-test-series)
10. [The third wheel in India's spin attack, Axar Patel is carving a reputation on his own, Wisden](https://www.wisden.com/cricket-news/the-third-wheel-in-indias-spin-attack-axar-patel-is-carving-a-reputation-on-his-own)
11. [The Indian Express, 1 October 2022 (Axar's variations and action)](https://vajiramandravi.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/media/2022/10/1/10/28/11/01-10-2022-VAJIRAMRAVI-INDIANEXPRESS.pdf)
12. [Acceptance, that you will have to sit out, is important: Axar, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/acceptance-that-you-will-have-to-sit-out-is-important-axar-101762969151732.html)
13. [Axar Patel: The story behind India's latest star spin bowler, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/56281185)
14. [Axar v Jadeja: Who should be India's spin all-rounder for the World Cup?, Wisden](https://www.wisden.com/cricket-news/axar-v-jadeja-who-should-be-indias-spin-all-rounder-for-the-world-cup)
15. [T20 World Cup: How Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav justified Rohit Sharma's spin vision, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/axar-patel-kuldeep-yadav-spin-a-web-power-india-to-t20-world-cup-final-9419916/)
16. [Bumrah among the stars missing the start of the IPL's 18th season, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/d40e43758ed9addc0cdef425a3f88d9e)
17. [The Daily Pioneer, 26 April 2024 (Impact Player rule comments)](https://www.dailypioneer.com/uploads/2024/epaper/april/lucknow-english-edition-2024-04-26.pdf)
18. [Axar Patel VS Ravindra Jadeja head-to-head, IPL.com](https://www.ipl.com/player-compare/axar-patel-vs-ravindra-jadeja-test)
19. [India's left-arm orthodox spin twins give them a good headache to have, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/cricket/story/_/id/43719734/ind-vs-eng-ravindra-jadeja-axar-patel-give-india-good-headache-have)
20. [Why Jadeja was retained in BCCI's highest pay bracket but Axar Patel remains in Grade C, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/explained-why-ravindra-jadeja-was-retained-in-bccis-highest-pay-bracket-but-axar-patel-remains-in-grade-c-101770721062401-amp.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Cricket › Cricket people and teams › People › Men's international cricketers › Indian men's cricketers › Indian cricketers of the 2000s and 2010s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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