Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel were both at the receiving end of things during the second T20I between India and West Indies in Ranchi on Friday. While Kuldeep registered figures of 1/53 from four overs, Axar endured wicketless figures of 0/63 from four overs.
The win helped level the five-match series 1-1. The duo’s forgettable figures eventually proved to be costly as West Indies chased down a target of 250 in 18.3 overs. Earlier, Sanju Samson top-scored with 82 runs to take India to 249/5. But even that total wasn’t safe for the Men in Blue.
relies heavily on line, length, unrelenting accuracy, and subtle variations in pace. Because his bowling approach functions as a restrictive, rhythm-based containment weapon, he aims to pin batters down along a stump-to-stump line.
However, when batters go on the offensive immediately—charging down the pitch or sweeping him aggressively without allowing him to establish a rhythm—Axar’s defensive lengths can be exposed.
Without sharp, naturally high turn to beat the bat, his fast, darted deliveries turn into predictable, hit-me lengths that batters can clear easily, leading to elevated economy rates like his spell on Friday.
, on the other hand, possesses a greater array of natural spin, deceptive air-time, drift, and a sharp wrong’un. Even when batters attempt to attack from the very first ball, Kuldeep’s wrist-spin variations and high wicket-taking ceiling mean that he can turn aggressive intent against the batter by drawing false strokes or clean-bowling them through the gate.
Statistically too, Kuldeep holds an advantage over Axar. Kuldeep has taken 98 wickets in 56 T20Is at an economy rate of 7.10, having conceded just 1392 runs. Axar, on the other hand, has played more T20Is than Kuldeep (109) and even taken more wickets (111). But, at the same time, he has conceded more than 1000 runs (2492) when compared to Kuldeep.
Axar’s economy rate of 7.56 is also slightly higher than that of Kuldeep (7.10). Kuldeep’s strike-rate of 11.9 is also far superior to that of Axar’s 17.8, with the former averaging a wicket almost every two overs.
While Axar offers control when batters play within themselves, immediate front-foot assault strips away his rhythm and exposes his lack of air variations. Kuldeep’s drift and wrist-spin deceit give him the necessary tools to punish early aggression, making Axar the more vulnerable option under instant fire.
will look to regain a 2-1 lead when they take on West Indies in the third T20I that will take place in Indore on Sunday.
