"If they had been there, things would have been different" - Aakash Chopra lauds Indian all-rounders' performances in 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya for their crucial contributions in the Men in Blue's 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final win against Australia. He noted that the 2023 ODI World Cup final result might have been different had the two all-rounders been part of India's playing XI.

Axar and Hardik picked up a wicket apiece as India bowled Australia out for 264 in the first semi-final of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai on Tuesday, March 4. The former scored 27 runs off 30 deliveries and the latter contributed a 24-ball 28 in the chase as the Men in Blue registered a four-wicket win with 11 deliveries to spare.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that Rohit Sharma and company missed Axar and Hardik in the 2023 ODI World Cup final.

"Since we are stuck on 19 November, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel, we missed the two Gujju boys. I remember I had tweeted that day that I would miss them when we lift the trophy. That tweet did not age very well. We lost, but today we realized again who we missed. If they had been there, things would have been different because they are doing their job," he said (10:05).

Chopra pointed out that Axar took the crucial wicket of Glenn Maxwell (7 off 5) in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final.

"Bapu does the job with the ball. He dismisses the dangerous Glenn Maxwell. Although Glenn Maxwell's wicket isn't talked about that much, Alex Carey's run out will be talked about more, but Glenn Maxwell could have taken them close to 300. He has got the ability, but he hit a six and then out," he observed.

Axar Patel registered figures of 1/43 in eight overs in Tuesday's game. He castled Glenn Maxwell after the destructive batter had struck him for a six over square leg.

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"Whenever crucial runs are required, he does that every single time" - Aakash Chopra lauds Axar Patel's knock in IND vs AUS 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final

Axar Patel added 44 runs for the fourth wicket with Virat Kohli in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Axar Patel and Virat Kohli (84 off 98) stitched together a crucial partnership after Shreyas Iyer's (45 off 62) dismissal in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final.

"In batting, things could have gone wrong if two wickets had fallen quickly. If Axar had gotten out immediately after Shreyas Iyer, the pressure would have suddenly looked different. He didn't get out. He takes on the bowlers. Whenever crucial runs are required, he does that every single time. We missed Bapu that day," he said (10:55).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Hardik Pandya also made vital contributions both with the ball and the bat in Tuesday's game.

"Hardik Pandya bowled very well to Travis Head at the start and then came in the end to pick up a wicket. When Hardik Pandya was batting, I was urging him to finish the game early and asking him why he was increasing our blood pressure. He hit four (three) sixes. When everyone was questioning him why he was playing dot balls, he said he knows what he is doing," Chopra elaborated.

Hardik Pandya registered figures of 1/40 in 5.3 overs, castling Adam Zampa to close out Australia's innings. The seam-bowling all-rounder then added crucial 34 runs for the sixth wicket with KL Rahul (42* off 34), hitting three sixes and a four in his 24-ball 28.