India have been dealt a blow ahead of the business end of the T20I series against South Africa, with the India all-rounder ruled out of rest of the series as Axar Patel has been sidelined due to illness, the BCCI confirmed on Monday.
Axar was forced to sit out the third T20I in Dharamsala after falling unwell and will now undergo further medical evaluation in Lucknow, the venue for the fourth match of the series. In his absence, the selectors have brought in Shahbaz Ahmed as a like-for-like replacement.
The Bengal all-rounder has previously represented India in three ODIs and two T20Is, with his last appearance coming at the 2023 Asian Games. He joins the squad as India look to close out the series strongly.
Before being sidelined, Axar had a mixed run in the series. He made a telling impact in the opener with 23 runs and impressive figures of 2 for 7, but was less effective in the second match, scoring 21 and picking up a solitary wicket.
India were also without pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the third T20I due to personal reasons, and his availability for the remaining games remains uncertain. Despite these absences, the hosts produced a solid performance to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
The fourth T20I will be played in Lucknow on December 17, with the series set to conclude in Ahmedabad on December 19.
