IND vs SA: Axar Patel ruled out of remaining T20I series, to be replaced by Shahbaz Ahmed

India all-rounder Axar Patel was ruled out of the remaining T20I series against South Africa due to illness, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Monday.

Axar had also missed the third game on Sunday. The board added that he will stay with the team in Lucknow where he will undergo further medical assessment.

In two games, Axar scored 44 runs at a strike rate of 104.76 and picked three wickets. He was promoted to No. 3 in place of Suryakumar Yadav in the second T20I, where he scored a run-a-ball 21.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and Axar came under scrutiny following the promotion as India fell to a 51-run loss in that game.

Shahbaz Ahmed was named as the replacement for the final two games of the five-match series, which India leads 2-1. The final two games will be played in Lucknow and Ahmedabad.

Jasprit Bumrah had also missed the third T20I but remained in the squad for the remaining series.

Published on Dec 15, 2025