Even if Ravindra Jadeja hadn’t announced his retirement from T20I cricket, Axar Patel would most likely not have remained his understudy. At least in the game’s shortest format, especially after his performance in India’s just-concluded triumphant T20 World Cup campaign in the Caribbean and the United States.

Before and even after the competition began, one wondered whether it was logical to include both left-arm (orthodox) spinner all-rounders Jadeja and Axar in the XI.

But as the Cup progressed, Axar went on to have a bigger role in terms of both batting and bowling.

He was brought into the attack even in the Powerplay on certain occasions, particularly in the semi-final against England in Guyana, where his three scalps (Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali) were crucial to rock England before Kuldeep Yadav completed the demolition job. If the pitch is spin-friendly, Axar simply cannot be kept away from taking wickets. That’s what he had shown again in the semi-final clash.

Barring the Bangladesh game at North Sound, Antigua, in the Super Eights, Axar was amongst wickets in all the other matches, finishing the Cup with nine scalps. He did take a pounding against Heinrich Klaasen in Saturday’s final in Bridgetown. But that over aside, Axar had a decent job in his first three overs on a pretty good surface for batting, also dismissing a well-set Tristan Stubbs in his spell.

“Even in the New York wicket, where there wasn’t enough help for the spinners, Axar bowled quite well. He’s someone who’s always looking to vary his pace, adjust his length and read the wicket. He’s only getting smarter as a cricketer,” former left-arm Sunil Joshi, also an ex-selector, told The Telegraph on Sunday.

With the bat, Axar ended the T20 Cup with an aggregate of 92 runs, but out of them what mattered most was his 18-ball 20 in the six-run win over Pakistan in the group phase and the massively important 47 off 31 balls in the final against South Africa. Promoting him up to No.4 against Pakistan initially appeared to defy logic, but in the end, the result did show it was a good ploy.

In the final, when India were in the doldrums after South Africa had them at 34/3 in the fifth over, the counterpunch from Axar (four maximums and a boundary) sent up at No.5 enabled Virat Kohli to focus on strike rotation. Kohli was boundary-less during the middle overs, but the timely strokes from Axar put the pressure back on the Proteas.

Without that 72-run fourth-wicket partnership between Axar and Kohli, India could have struggled to reach even 150.

“The smart cricketer that Axar is, he can adjust no matter which position he bats at. As he’s growing in seniority, the better and sharper he seems to be getting,” Joshi, currently coach of Uttar Pradesh and spin bowling coach of Punjab Kings, pointed out.

A left quadricep injury had ruled Axar out of last year’s ODI World Cup. Since then, Axar has returned as a better fielder as well, with the acrobatic catch at the deep to effect Australia captain Mitch Marsh’s dismissal at a crucial phase of the Super Eights clash in St Lucia.

“After such an impressive performance in this World Cup, Axar’s position in the team has certainly gained greater significance. His contribution with the bat in the final was almost as vital as Kohli’s as his shots gave the team much-needed momentum after the loss of three big wickets.

“So, in T20Is at least, he’s now as good as an automatic choice,” a BCCI official said.