Axar Patel has had a dream debut in Test cricket in the ongoing four-match series against England. He has posed all sorts of trouble to the English batters scalping 22 wickets so far in the series from three matches – second after senior spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
The all-rounder from Gujarat became the first bowler to claim more than 10 wickets in a pink-ball Test and most of his 11 wickets came from the arm-ball that goes straight on with the angle to the right-hander. After he got 9 wickets in bowled and LBW in Ahmedabad, Axar Patel got a nickname from his teammates Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant.
In a recent conversation, Axar Patel revealed that Rishabh Pant believes Axar’s arm-ball tails into the right-hander like Pakistan legend Wasim Akram’s in-swingers and hence the India wicketkeeper calls him ‘Wasim bhai’.
“He (Rishabh Pant) keeps on saying that by arm-ball comes in to the right-hander like Wasim bhai (Wasim Akram). The name was given by Ajju bhai (Ajinkya Rahane) and Pant picked it up from there,” said Axar.
Also Read
Watch – Virat Kohli and Ben Stokes Involved In A Heated Exchange On Day 1
Axar Patel keen to continue the hard work
Speaking further on his impressive Test debut in the absence of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel stated that it feels easy as things are going his way but he would like to continue the hard work. He has been India’s prime wicket-taker in the fourth Test leading the tally with four wickets.
He will look to keep up the good work as Virat Kohli & Co look to seal their berth in the ICC World Test Championship final.
“It seems easy when it (Test-match five-for) happens, otherwise it feels different. Now that it’s happening, I just want to continue my work – not thinking it’s easy or difficult,” he said.
