In the first-ever Super Over of this season of the Indian Premier League, Delhi Capitals defeated the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. The victory came courtesy of some very tight bowling by the DC left-arm spinner AAxar Patel who was making a comeback in the IPL.
But Patel wasn’t the first choice of the skipper Rishabh Pant or coach Ricky Ponting. It was only when he insisted that a spinning option would be a better one against the SRH’s left-right combination, that Gujarat born was trusted with the ball.
"When I came out of the dressing room, the coach and everyone was talking to go with a fast bowler - Avesh Khan - because they would send a left-right combination,” Axar told in the post-match virtual press conference.
"When we were just stepping onto the ground, I thought a spinner would be more effective. So I told Rishabh that I could also bowl the over. Then he spoke to Ricky [Ponting], and it was decided at the last moment that I would bowl," the 27-year-old explained.
Axar who ended the regular game with figures of 2-26, conceded just seven runs in the Super Over, giving his team a more than good enough chance to chase the target down.
This was the first IPL game for the Delhi all-rounder. Talking about his time while recovering from Covid, Axar said, "Even before Covid I was bowling well, in Test matches, and then I bowled in the T20Is too. So, I was carrying the same confidence.”
The breakout star from the England Test series further divulged how he did not let Covid-19 rule over his instincts and his love for the game. "I wasn't thinking much that I have had Covid. After recovering from Covid, if I still keep thinking about it that I lost 20 days…obviously it was frustrating but I wasn't thinking much about it,” he said.