A comparative study on Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel’s ODI numbers

Only one of Ashwin and Axar will be included in the Indian ODI squad so let's delve deeper into their respective ODI careers.

Ravichandran Ashwin has bounced back into the Indian ODI squad with a bang following excellent performances in the series against Australia. The veteran off-spinner has emerged as the joint second highest wicket-taker with four scalps in two matches. Only Mohammed Shami has taken more wickets than Ashwin in this series.

The 37-year-old was at his glorious best during the second ODI in Indore. Registering figures of 7-0-41-3, it was among his best white ball outings at home. What was already a daunting chase for Australia after India posed them a target of 400 became virtually impossible with Ash wreaking havoc from one end.

Ashwin, who has largely been away from the ODI scene mid-2017, endured a tough start in the first ODI in Mohali. He failed to adjust his bowling lengths and was guilty of bowling too short to David Warner and Steve Smith who were both set at the crease and dealt with him quite easily.

He went wicketless in his first spell and conceded runs at six an over. When he returned for his second spell, he went back to his conventional skill-set. It fetched him improved returns as well as the fortunate dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne. Ashwin finished with figures of 1-47 after bowling 10 overs in the first ODI.

The Holkar Stadium in Indore was expected to pose a considerably difficult challenge. One of the flattest surfaces on offer in the country, the Indian batting lineup made the most of it and scored its highest total (399) against Australia in ODIs.

Bowling on this track seemed to be a formidable challenge but Ashwin was up to the task with a slew of variations in his arsenal. The ball began to dip, drift and spin sharply and the Australian batters had little answers to the questions asked by him.

Warner and Labuschagne ended up losing their wickets to Ashwin’s bowling while the off-spinner also got rid of Josh Inglis in the middle order.

The dismissal of Labuschagne especially drew a lot of praise. The right-hander had assumed a regular carrom ball and he couldn’t be entirely blamed for expecting the delivery to come in. However, Ashwin managed to deceive him by keeping the delivery straighter and it ended up dislodging his wicket.

That is the kind of genius that has ensured Ashwin’s longevity in the sport. Moments of brilliance like this also show us why he is still relevant despite having been in and out of the white ball sides for so long.

Ashwin’s performances against Australia have given selectors and the team hierarchy a serious headache ahead of the upcoming World Cup. His brilliant form combined with the untimely injury to Axar Patel during the Asia Cup has potentially opened a path for him back into the side.

But how do the two spinners fare in this format?

On the surface, their bowling numbers in ODIs are comparable. Ashwin has obviously played more matches than Axar and has taken 155 wickets in 115 games compared to the left-hander’s 59 wickets in 54 matches. Axar has a marginally better average (32.24) compared to Ashwin (33.2) but their numbers are in the same ball-park.

When it comes to economy rates, Axar once again has the better figure (4.54) compared to Ashwin (4.95) but there’s again not much to separate them.

Axar has played 15 matches since 2022 while Ashwin has only played on four occasions. This is why the latter’s numbers are more inconsistent and he has an average of 41.8, claiming five wickets. In the same time frame, Axar has scalped 14 wickets and has an average of 35.2.

Axar, however, has never played in an ICC Cricket World Cup before. Ashwin has the experience over him, having appeared in 10 matches during the 2011 and 2015 editions. He’s fared well in the grandest stage of them all and has 17 dismissals at a wonderful average of 24.9 and an economy rate of 4.36.

Being a natural off-spinner who has plenty of tricks up his sleeves also works in favour of the senior bowler as the existing squad lacks an off-spinner in the side.

When it comes to batting in this format, Axar Patel is the clear winner. He has scored 481 runs at an average of over 20 and has a great strike rate of over 101. He’s also made two half-centuries and has a couple of match-winning knocks to his name.

Ashwin’s numbers aren’t too shabby either - 707 runs at an average of 16.44 and strike rate of 86.96 - but they don’t exactly inspire confidence in batting depth. Then there’s the element of him being a left-hander.

With the exception of Ishan Kishan and Ravindra Jadeja, left-hander batters are scarce in the Indian setup this time around and either of Axar or Ishan or Jadeja could’ve been used as a floater in the starting XI depending upon the opponent as well as the game situation.

Overall, the selection of either player has its own set of merits and disadvantages and neither of them is a clear winner. As a result, it won’t be surprising to see either Axar Patel or Ravichandran Ashwin making a dent with their bowling during the World Cup for India.