IPL 2018: Axar Patel set to make a comeback for KXIP

Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) have surprised everyone with their performance in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). They are currently third in the points table with 5 wins after playing 7 matches and are looking the favourites to qualify for the playoffs. The players are enjoying a break from their busy schedule right now and have boosted as well with the news of Axar Patel getting fit. However, it will be interesting to see if he will be able to make it to the playing XI straight away.

The left-arm spinner was retained by the franchise earlier this year but he, unfortunately, got injured while playing in the early stages of the tournament. He has so far played only in a couple of matches and has scalped a couple of wickets while going for 8.57 runs per over which is quite expensive given his credentials. Axar has also failed with the bat while coming down the order for his team.

Will he play in the next match?

The official Instagram handle of KXIP confirmed the news in their latest story which shows Axar Patel and is captioned as, “@akshar.patel is happy to be back.” Though it remains to be seen if he will play the next game as the team has nicely gelled together and were on a winning spree before suffering a shock loss at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). They already have the skipper R Ashwin and Mujeeb Zadran in the team and to play the third spinner could be a risky proposition.

Also, there will be a debate on which player to be left out if Axar is considered to play. Nevertheless, the news is a delighting one for the team as he is a crucial member of the squad and could be part of the team if they qualify for the playoffs. Kings XI are all set to play their next game against Mumbai Indians (MI) at their new home ground in Indore on Friday.

Here’s the Instagram story of KXIP:

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