Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh expressed concerns on the injury that Axar Patel sustained during the first T20I against New Zealand. Though it proved to be quite a successful outing for the Men in Blue as they defeated the visitors by 48 runs in Nagpur, the injury to Axar's finger could be a big blow for them not just for the series but for the 2026 T20 World Cup as well.
The all-rounder sustained the injury while trying to stop Daryl Mitchell's shot off his own bowling during the 16th over. He appeared to be in a lot of pain and walked off the field without even completing his over. Abhishek Sharma had to step in to bowl the remaining three deliveries.
Harbhajan on Axar's injury
Harbhajan hoped that Axar's injury wasn't too serious and that he would recover in time for the T20 World Cup that begins from February 7. He pointed out that the 32-year-old is a "crucial" player for India and it will be a big setback for them if he doesn't feature in the upcoming tournament.
"I am concerned about one thing. Axar Patel suffered an injury to his finger, and I hope that it is not a serious injury and that he recovers soon. I sincerely hope that he does not miss the World Cup for this reason, because we will need him. He is a crucial player for us," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel.
Harbhajan backs India to take down NZ
Harbhajan further backed India to defeat in the ongoing five-match T20I series against New Zealand. He was left thoroughly impressed with the team's batting performance in the series openewr and remarked that they took the game far away from the Kiwis by posting a mammoth total of 238/7 on the board.
"The way Team India are playing, I have no doubt that they will win this series. India smashed 238 for 7 in 20 overs - yes, you heard that right. This is the new way Team India goes about its game and simply smashes opponents. 239 is such a big target; how could New Zealand have even tried to chase it down? New Zealand tried well, but they had already lost the match after the knocks from Abhishek Sharma and Rinku Singh," Harbhajan added.
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Meanwhile, India will be looking to take a formidable lead in the series by coming out victorious in the 2nd T20I against New Zealand. The match is set to be played on January 23 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.