England batsmen don't read from the hand, sweep on line: Axar Patel

India’s latest spinning star Axar Patel, who wreaked havoc in the Test series against England has said that the English batsmen don’t read the deliveries from the hand of bowlers (spinners) and hence they are always unsure of the nature and type of delivery a bowler delivers.

In an interview with The Indian Express, Axar Patel also opened up on his thought process in the series against England and said that bowling stump to stump line denies the English batsmen opportunities to sweep and reverse sweep as they can’t pick the variation from the hand. Bowling outside the line of stumps allows them a free hand to play their favourite swipe shot.

“If they are in doubt whether it’s spinning or not, they just play sweeps and reverse-sweeps. If one bowls stump-to-stump, then it gets tough for them but if the ball is pitched outside off-stump or leg-stump they go for the sweep. They don’t read the ball from my hand, instead, they go by where it’s pitched,” Axar Patel said to The Indian Express.

Axar missed the first Test of the series due to a knee injury but was included in the playing XI starting the second Test. He was instrumental in India’s fightback in the series after a big loss in the first Test. He picked up 27 wickets from three Tests at a staggering average of 10.59 runs per wicket.