Suryakumar Yadav congratulates Axar Patel for Indore heroics, takes subtle jibe at England

India are currently playing a three-match T20I series at home against Afghanistan. The hosts sealed the series by winning the first two games in Mohali and Indore, respectively.

In the second T20I on Sunday, January 14, Axar Patel impressed with the ball, as he finished with excellent figures of 2/17 in his four overs at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. India went on to win the match by six wickets.

After Axar's heroic performance, Suryakumar Yadav took a subtle jibe at the England cricket team. Ben Stokes and Co. are set to arrive in India later this month to play a five-match Test series. Congratulating Axar on his outing, Suryakumar cheekily remarked, “Ball to 12 din baad ghumni chahiye” (The ball should have spun after 12 days), accompanied by three laughing emojis.

A lot has been said by experts and players from both countries about the spin-friendly pitches that could be on offer during the Test series. In 2021, when England came to India to play a four-match Test series, Axar was one of the star performers. He finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the series, picking up 27 wickets in three games, at an incredible average of 10.59. Ravichandran Ashwin was the leading wicket-taker with 32 scalps from four games at 14.72.

England's approach to red-ball cricket has changed a lot since their previous trip to India. Under Brendon McCullum's coaching and Ben Stokes' captaincy, England play a flamboyant brand of cricket, fondly known as 'Bazball'. Cricket enthusiasts are waiting in eagerness to see how the all-or-nothing approach fares on the turning tracks in India.

The third and final T20I between India and Afghanistan will take place in Bengaluru on Wednesday, January 17. This will be India's last encounter before the Tests against England. The first Test starts on Thursday, January 25, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Rohit Sharma's men would be raring to go after recently drawing a Test series against South Africa in the Rainbow Nation. Meanwhile, England will be playing a Test match for the first time since the fifth Ashes Test which they won in July 2023.