While the official confirmation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is awaited, the Men in Blue captain, Suryakumar Yadav, confirmed Axar's absence from the playing 11.
India won the toss and decided to field first against the Mitchell Santner-led New Zealand in the second T20I of the five-match series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium on Friday.