Team India all-rounder Axar Patel downplayed any sense of rivalry with Ravindra Jadeja ahead of the home Test series against Australia. Once a regular benchwarmer early in his career, Axar has now established himself as India’s preferred spin-bowling all-rounder in white-ball cricket, surpassing Jadeja in that role.
Despite boasting an impressive Test record, the 31-year-old often finds himself out of the playing XI due to team combination factors. Speaking about the value of patience and acceptance, Axar shared his thoughts in an interview with Hindustan Times.
“You have to be patient, basically. The more calm you can keep yourself, the better for you. There will always be competition when you are playing for India. Acceptance, that you will have to wait it out, is important. ou can easily go into a negative space and start using it as an excuse…’why am I not in the team despite doing well?’. My motivation would always be… how to come back in the team and make an immediate impact.”
Reflecting on the battle for a single spot, often alongside Ravindra Jadeja, Axar remarked:
“Once we started playing together, things began to work. We may be both left-arm spinners but I bowl in the powerplay and at the death, he bowls in the middle overs. Our wrist position and point of release is different. Obviously, he’s a great all-rounder. I speak with him about mindset. He’s asked me to work on consistency, maintaining my body and how to be ready to bat in any situation.”
“I Don’t Rely Much On Match-Ups” – Axar Patel
Axar Patel acknowledged that he doesn’t pay much attention to matchups, a tactic that has gained significant importance in modern cricket, particularly in T20s. One of the most common strategies in this format is captains avoiding left-arm spinners bowling to left-handed batters.
Addressing this trend, Axar explained (as quoted by the same source):
“It’s become a trend, but I don’t believe in match-ups too much. If the batter (of unfavourable match-up) plays a big shot, you also get a chance to get him out. If you have runs to play with, you can take a risk. You also have to look at whether he is the best bowler in your team. After all, you have to play with skills and the mindset. Obviously, if the pitch is doing nothing, I won’t expose the left-arm spinner to the left-hander.”
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
