Axar Patel will miss the final two T20I matches between India and South Africa due to illness, with Shahbaz Ahmed taking his place in the hosts' lineup.

India hold a 2-1 lead in the five-match series, having swept the Proteas aside by seven wickets with 25 balls to spare in the second contest.

Patel missed that match and will be unable to return for the remainder of the series, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement on Monday.

He played the first two matches and had mixed fortunes, scoring 23 runs off 21 balls and taking figures of 2-7 while bowling in the opener, a nine-wicket success in Visakhapatnam.

But in a losing effort in the second match, Patel took figures of 1-27 with the ball while only scoring 21 with the bat after being promoted to number three.  

"He is with the team in Lucknow where he will be further medically assessed," the BCCI stated when announcing Patel would not return for the rest of the series.

 NEWS #TeamIndia allrounder, Axar Patel has been ruled out of the remaining two @IDFCFIRSTBank T20Is against South Africa due to illness.

 Details | #INDvSA | @akshar2026 https://t.co/CZja7iaLNm

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 15, 2025

His replacement Shahbaz last appeared for his country two years ago and has played in three ODIs and two T20Is, with the most recent of those being the 2023 Asian Games final against Afghanistan.

The fourth match of the series takes place on Wednesday, at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.