IND vs NZ: Why is Axar Patel not playing 2nd T20I against New Zealand?
India all-rounder Axar Patel was ruled out of the second T20I against New Zealand in Raipur on Friday after not recovering from a finger injury that he suffered in the previous match.
Attempting to catch a shot from Daryl Mitchell off his own bowling in the innings’ 16th over, Axar threw his left hand at the ball and was struck on the tip of the index finger. Broadcast visuals showed the finger bleeding and Axar went off the field mid-way through his over.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has not given an official update on his injury and the duration of his absence.
Axar is the third player in the Indian team to be affected by injury. Tilak Varma has been ruled out of the first three games due to an abdominal injury, while Washington Sundar was ruled out of the entire series due to a side strain suffered during the ODI series against the Kiwis.
Jasprit Bumrah was also missing from the second match, with the management opting to rest the talismanic pacer.
Published on Jan 23, 2026
