A player that chronically goes a bit under the radar is Axar Patel. Even on Monday, when India came back to win against Pakistan in a thriller, there weren’t too many discussions about the performance of this all-rounder both with the bat and ball.
It was when India were reduced to 19 for 2 with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma already back in the pavilion that Axar came out to an unfamiliar number four position where he made a vital 20 off 18 balls, which was significant on a difficult pitch. And then with the ball, he followed up Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliant fifteenth over with one that was tight where Imad Wasim and Shadab Khan could not go after him.
Axar didn’t take wickets so his effort went unnoticed but only two runs off that over put huge pressure at that stage on Pakistan. This modest Gujarati boy also doesn’t want much of credit for his show.
“I don’t think my over helped turn things around. We treated every over as if it was a turning point; there seemed to be something special happening by chance or design whenever the captain decided to mix things up.” When I felt like they were getting desperate, I just bowled within myself because its not spinning much and neither are guys going for big shots” Axar said.
However, under severe pressure the left-arm bowler did get it right as he dished out two wide outside off-stump deliveries before pushing one inside which created some doubts in the mind of batter.
“It was important that I play with their minds a bit in that stage. So when I bowled a couple outside, I knew the batter would shuffle in and I pushed it in,” Axar said.
However quietly consistent he has been throughout these years similarly Axar isn’t considered India’s No. 1 spin-bowling all-rounder there has been no real investigation into his batting too. The team management is aware of this, however, and in practice sessions leading up to the Pakistan game, one would notice Rohit Sharma wanting Axar to get some batting form.
He got long stints with the bat and on match day he was sent out when the chips were down. His 39-run partnership with Rishabh Pant went a long way in India reaching 80-3 in the first ten overs which eventually proved crucial.
“Except for the opening slots, the captain has clearly said before the tournament that no other position is fixed we will have to go up and down according to need of hour”. “I was just trying play simple cricket and keep it tight through new ball so then lower order big hitters had platform” Axar said.
With only four specialist batsmen playing, the role of four allrounders becomes huge. He is a vital cog in this wheel at 30 years old.
“It’s about balance. We now have a batting line-up till No.8 where there are seven bowlers waiting.” Having options are crucial and we have to keep at it”, Axar said.
