IND vs NZ: Asia Cup winner questions Ravindra Jadeja’s spot, pushes for this superstar in ODIs

India veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's place in the ODI team is under the scanner after a series of poor performances. The superstar all-rounder has found it difficult to make an impact with either bat or ball in recent matches. Jadeja's last ODI century in India came back in 2013. With the ball too, Jadeja has struggled, picking up just one wicket in his last five ODI games.

In the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, Jadeja managed to score 4 and 27 in the first two matches and did not take a single wicket in either game.

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Kaif on Ravindra Jadeja's lead ODI patch

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif, who was a part of the 2002 Asia Cup-winning side made a direct comparison between Jadeja and Axar Patel. Kaif believes Axar currently offers more in white-ball cricket, both as a batter and a bowler, and questioned India’s selection choices in the New Zealand series.

"If you have to choose one of the two, Axar is way ahead of Jadeja. Even in one-day. His strike rate and batting ability, ability to hit sixes, Jadeja does not have that. We have seen in the IPL as well. In white-ball, Axar is way ahead in batting. Even in bowling, he is ahead. Axar can bowl in the powerplay as well. I do not know why he is not even in the squad. Why are you backing Reddy against New Zealand, who are weak against spin. Anyway, you have Arshdeep, who is sitting out, so there are four pacers already," Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

Axar, who is India's vice captain for the T20 World Cup 2026 surprisingly left out of the ODI squad for the New Zealand series, despite being part of India’s Champions Trophy squad last year.

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Mohammad Kaif on Axar vs Jadeja

Kaif also opened up on Nitish Kumar Reddy, analysing India’s team combination. He felt that choosing Reddy over Axar upset the balance of the side and said playing both Axar and Jadeja together would have given India better control, especially because of Axar’s ability to use the new ball.

"I want Jadeja and Axar to play together. If Axar was there in the last game instead of Reddy, there would be more balance. There is a difference in the bowling between Jadeja and Axar. People say both are left-arm spinners. They are, but both have different styles of bowling. Jadeja comes after the powerplay. Axar can take the new ball. He is the best bowler with the new ball. He took wickets with the new ball in the Champions Trophy too," he reflected.