‘Had A Laugh Inside…’ Axar Patel After Crashing AUS With All-Round Show In 5th T20I
Axar Patel celebrating a wicket with captain Suryakumar Yadav (AP)
Axar Patel crashed Australia’s outbound party in Bengaluru to hand Team India a comprehensive 4-1 series win in their five-match rubber. The senior cricketer clubbed handy runs with the bat, before restricting Australia in their tense run-chase with a tight wicket-taking four-over spell.
For his exemplary all-round show, Axar was adjudged as ‘Player of the Match’ for the second time in succession this series. After the contest, the 29-year-old revealed his bowling mindset for the game and described his spin partnership with younger teammate Ravi Bishnoi.
Axar Patel hoping for longer run with Bishnoi
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Axar Patel stated that there was no dew in Bengaluru’s surface and the ball instantly spun during the Australian run-chase. He claimed that he quickly realised the wicket was his to bowl, considering the dew factor came into play in each of the preceding four surfaces of the series.
The left-arm spinner eventually accounted for dangerman Tim David, and conceded just 14 runs from his four overs to restrict Australia within six runs of their target. He said:
“It was fun bowling out today, as there was no dew factor coming into play. There was full dew in the first four matches, but tonight, as soon as the first ball spun, I knew that it was my wicket and had a laugh inside myself.”
Axar Patel also bludgeoned a handy 21-ball 31 and formed a death-overs assault alongside Shreyas Iyer during the Indian innings earlier in the game. Returning to the national side after an injury layoff, the cricketer said that he got into his batting rhythm in Bengaluru following his prior outings with the bat in the series. He added:
“Coming after a break, I wanted some time out in the middle with the bat. After a couple of games, I got into the rhythm.”
Patel also praised spin teammate Ravi Bishnoi, who picked up the key wickets of Travis Head and Aaron Hardie in quick succession. The seasoned T20 campaigner claimed that they both complement each other while bowling in tandem and he is hoping that their newfound spin partnership grows further for the Indian team.
“I did bowl with Ravi Bishnoi playing for Gujarat in a couple of matches. We complement each other, hope this partnership grows.”
Earlier this week, Axar Patel was excluded from Team India’s squad for their forthcoming T20I tour of South Africa. With next year’s T20 World Cup 2024 on the line, the cricketer responded back by unfolding two successive ‘Player of the Match’ performances in clinical Indian wins against Australia, mere days prior to team’s flight for the rainbow nation.
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