IND vs PAK: India could be forced into a crucial reshuffle ahead of their high-stakes Super Four clash against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday, following an injury scare involving all-rounder Axar Patel. The left-arm spinner hurt his head while fielding in India’s final Group A match against Oman in Abu Dhabi, raising concerns over his availability with less than 48 hours to recover.
The incident occurred in the 15th over of Oman’s chase, when Axar sprinted in from mid-off to take a high catch offered by Hammad Mirza. While he managed to get under the ball, a moment of misjudgment led to a drop, and more worryingly, a nasty fall that saw him slam his head into the turf. He was seen clutching his head and neck area and had to be escorted off by the physio. Axar didn’t return to the field for the remainder of the match.
Although fielding coach T Dilip suggested post-match that Axar was “fine,” the short turnaround between fixtures leaves India in a tense wait. Any symptoms of concussion or discomfort could rule him out of Sunday’s marquee clash, putting India’s spin-heavy game plan in jeopardy.
India have leaned on a three-spinner strategy throughout their Dubai leg, using Axar alongside Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. However, against Oman, the team experimented with an extra seamer, resting Chakravarthy and giving more overs to the pace unit. Axar bowled just one over for four runs before the injury ended his outing.
Despite the scare, Axar had earlier contributed with the bat, smashing 26 off 13 deliveries and putting on a brisk 45-run stand with Sanju Samson, who top-scored with 56. His ability to chip in with both bat and ball makes him a valuable asset, and his absence would force a rethink in the balance of the XI.
India’s Probable 11 against Pakistan
Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
Replacement Options: Who Steps In?
If Axar is ruled out, India may look to summon Washington Sundar, a like-for-like all-rounder who is currently on the standby list. The off-spinning all-rounder offers control, lower-order hitting, and experience on slow tracks.
In the squad itself, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav remain the two specialist spinners, but bringing both into the XI without Axar might make the tail longer than desired unless India sacrifice a seamer.
If Axar is cleared fit, he could slot back into the XI in place of Washington, restoring the preferred left-arm spin combination. Otherwise, India might be forced to tweak their structure, possibly using only two frontline spinners and deepening their batting through Sundar’s inclusion.
Final Call Awaits
India’s medical team will assess Axar Patel closely before making a final decision on his participation. Given the stakes of a game against arch-rivals Pakistan, and the importance of net run rate and momentum in the Super Four stage, the team will be wary of risking a half-fit player.
India’s fans and think tank alike will be hoping the injury is not serious – both for Axar’s well-being and the team’s balance. For now, all eyes are on the team announcement in Dubai.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Sanju Samson and Arshdeep Singh’s Milestone takes India home by 21 runs
