Big blow for India in Asia Cup as this key all-rounder gets ruled out due to injury

India's Mission Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates received a major blow on Friday (2) when their star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the tournament with a knee injury. The 33-year-old left-arm cricketer played a vital role in India's five-wicket win over arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday (28) after Rohit Sharma's men found themselves in a tricky situation.

He will be replaced with Axar Patel, who is also a left-arm cricketer and played a match-winning knock in a one-day international against the West Indies in July.

India's Ravindra Jadeja plays a shot against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2020 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, UAE, on August 28, 2022. (Photo by SURJEET YADAV/AFP via Getty Images)

Jadeja scored 35 off 29 balls to add vital 52 runs with Hardik Pandya to take India comfortably closer to the target of 148 in 20 overs.

The Indian cricket board -- Board of Control for Cricket in India -- on Friday announced that Jadeja is currently under the supervision of its medical team.

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Axar Patel as the replacement for Ravindra Jadeja in the ongoing Asia Cup," the statement read.

“Jadeja has sustained a right knee injury and is ruled out of the tournament. He is currently under the supervision of the BCCI medical team," it added.

Patel was earlier named as one of the standbys in the India squad for Asia Cup and will join it in Dubai soon.

The defending champions, who have topped their group with two consecutive wins over Pakistan and Hong Kong, would take on Pakistan again this Sunday (4) in a Super Four game unless Hong Kong caused an upset.