Axar Patel needs one wicket in second T20I vs England to create history for India in T20Is | Cricket

India spinner Axar Patel can script history in the second T20I against England at Old Trafford in Manchester on Saturday, July 4. The 32-year-old has claimed 99 wickets so far in T20Is and with one more to his name, Axar can become the first Indian spinner to scalp 100 or more wickets in the shortest format of the game. 

Indian spinner with most wickets in T20Is:

Since his debut against Zimbabwe in 2015, the Gujarat-born player hasn’t enjoyed a consistent run in the national set-up. However, in the last few years, he has established his authority in the middle and is now one of the mainstays in the team. He helped India win back-to-back T20 World Cup titles and could now script a phenomenal record for himself.

Only three players have crossed the 100-wicket mark so far for India in T20Is. Arshdeep Singh leads the charts with 131 wickets in 87 matches, Jasprit Bumrah with 121 wickets in 95 matches, and Hardik Pandya with 114 wickets in 138 appearances. Among India’s spinners, Axar is followed by Yuzvendra Chahal, who has 96 wickets in 80 T20Is and Kuldeep Yadav, who has taken 95 wickets in 54 matches.

Notably, Axar could have registered the feat in the first T20I itself. However, in the opening T20I against England at the Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street on July 1, he did not bowl after rain prevented play in the second innings. In the last month, he played both T20Is against Ireland in Belfast. In that series, he finished with two wickets in the opening match and went wicketless in the second.

At the global level, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan holds the record for most wickets by a spinner in T20Is with 193 dismissals. New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi and England’s Adil Rashid are also among the leading wicket-takers in the format.

India set to name unchanged XI

India are unlikely to change their playing XI for the second T20I against England. Bowling coach Morne Morkel has already indicated that star youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may once again have to wait for his opportunity, which confirms that the team won’t be making any changes. However, it could be one last chance for Sanju Samson to prove his mettle. 

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