In the 2nd T20I between India and South Africa, India struggled early on with a poor batting performance, losing 3 wickets within the first four overs. Despite key partnerships from Axar Patel and Tilak Varma, South Africa maintained control and kept picking up wickets at regular intervals. It was only due to a late surge from Hardik Pandya that India could reach a more respectable total of 124/6, with Pandya top-scoring with 39 runs.
As the IPL 2025 retention deadline wrapped up, Punjab Kings made headlines with their strategic retention of uncapped players Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh, leaving them with a whopping 110.5 crore in their auction purse. On the other hand, Delhi Capitals raised some eyebrows by letting go of star skipper Rishabh Pant, opting to retain experienced players Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abishek Porel. While DC's decision sparked some debate, co-owner Parth Jindal assured fans that the team is determined to build a strong and balanced squad that will bring home the elusive IPL trophy.
The Delhi Capitals (DC) have announced a major rebuild ahead of the 2024 IPL season, only retaining four players for the upcoming mega auction. Inconsistent performances, injuries, and unavailability were cited as factors that plagued DC last season, prompting the franchise to go all out and make significant changes. With a new coach and director of cricket in place, DC is signalling a fresh start as they look to bounce back from a disappointing season. Axar Patel, the most expensive of the retained players at INR 16.5 Crore, will also be considered as a potential option for captaincy.
With the deadline for player retentions approaching, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh believes that wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant, experienced all-rounder Axar Patel, and hard-hitting batsman Tristan Stubbs should be retained by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. He also named Jake Fraser-McGurk and Mitchell Marsh as possible retentions for the team. Despite a disappointing finish in the previous season, the Delhi Capitals will look to rebuild their squad in the upcoming auction to boost their chances for the title next year.
After India's victory in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024, allrounder Axar Patel reminisces about how he and teammate Mohammed Siraj were interviewed in English by Dinesh Karthik, causing difficulties for the players. Patel reveals that Siraj couldn't continue the interview as his English vocabulary ran out. The players also share their experience of appearing on Kapil Sharma's show, where Siraj was surprised to be interviewed in English.
In an upcoming episode of 'The Great Indian Kapil Show', Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma and his teammates Suryakumar Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, and Shivam Dube join Kapil Sharma for a fun-filled segment. The cricketers share jokes and funny anecdotes, with Rohit admitting that the show might have brought them good luck. The teaser clip also features them mimicking former Indian captains and engaging in playful banter, showcasing their camaraderie off the field.
First-Class cricket returns to the Rural Development Cricket Stadium in Anantapur, with India C pacers leading the way against India D in the Duleep Trophy match. Axar Patel also contributes with a strong batting performance, as the quicks continue to dominate at the venue with 361 out of 473 wickets taken by them in 16 matches.
Indian cricket fans were eagerly waiting to see if Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer would make a comeback in the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh. However, the two batsmen were unable to prove their worth in the Duleep Trophy 2024 matches. While Pant was dismissed for just seven runs, Iyer could only manage nine runs. The match also saw impressive performances from young players such as Musheer Khan and Axar Patel.
Indian wicketkeeper batter Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the Duleep Trophy opener for Team D due to a groin injury sustained during the ongoing All-India Buchi Babu Tournament. Kishan's return to red-ball cricket has been delayed as he was expected to make his appearance in the Duleep Trophy after losing his central contract for not playing red-ball matches. Sanju Samson has been named as Kishan's replacement and the first day of the Duleep Trophy saw India D struggling at 76/7 against a strong bowling performance from India C.
In the first ODI between India and Sri Lanka, captain Rohit Sharma's funny reaction was captured on the stump mic during an LBW appeal. As the umpire was unconvinced, Sharma asked his players if they should go for a review, but didn't receive a solid response. The video of the exchange went viral on social media platforms, showcasing Sharma's humorous side. Despite Sri Lanka's top-order crumbling, intelligent fifties by Pathum Nissanka and Dunith Wellalage helped the team to a fighting total of 230 for eight.