Axar Patel has been dropped from Team India

In an unexpected turn of events, India, led by Captain Rohit Sharma, announced a radically revised playing XI for the third Test against England on Thursday (February 15) at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot. The captain's choice to bat first, as well as the participation of two debutants, Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel, heightened the match's drama. However, the most surprising choice was the withdrawal of seasoned all-rounder Axar Patel, who was renowned for his steady performances with both bat and ball, frequently saving the Indian batting order.

Despite being India's third-highest run scorer in the current series, Axar was left out of the playing XI. This choice, deemed daring by both team management and Rohit, exemplifies the squad's evolving approach. Patel's removal is especially remarkable given his outstanding series performance, which included 133 runs at an average of 33.25 and exhibiting skill against English spinners.