Axar Patel has been a rock in the middle order batting for India. While many expected it to be KL Rahul to bat at number 5, the Indian team decided Patel would be a better choice. There could be numerous reasons why Axar Patel is batting above KL Rahul, but that is not what we want to talk about. Here, the focus should be on what Axar Patel has done batting in number five for India.
The team has been unchanged since the first match. Patel scored 27 off 30 deliveries in the semi-final match against Australia in the Champions Trophy 2025. Everyone in the Indian cricket setup knew that Patel can bat. In fact, one of the first instances of his all-rounder capabilities that came to light was in the 2014 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Patel played for KXIP (Kings 11 Punjab) in 2014 in the IPL and showcased strong capabilities with both bat and ball.
After losing Shreyas Iyer on the 27th over, India still had a long way to go towards the target. At such a juncture, Patel showcased great patience and understanding of the game as he played an almost runner ball innings, stitching an important partnership with Virat Kohli.
This enabled Kohli to also play at a steady pace and take India closer to the target. While Kohli missed out on a brilliant century, he could reach the point he did because of a brilliant and patient innings from Axar Patel. In his 30 deliveries, Axar only scored two boundaries, one was a four and one was a six. The Indian cricket team has been looking for someone to bat in the middle overs patiently, and it seems like Patel is the answer to that for now.
It will be interesting to see how the dynamics will play out in the future when eventually Rishabh Pant will also knock the gates of the team. For now, Patel should get the appreciation he is due both with the bat and the ball. Of course, who can forget how fast and good he is in the field as well!
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