The unsung journey of Axar Patel

Axar Patel after taking crucial wickets against Pakistan (PC- Debasis Sen)

What are Axar Patel’s best performances in limited-overs cricket? A cricket nerd may end up remembering some of his heroics, but a large section of the cricket-loving public would struggle to recall them. Yet, he has taken 92 wickets in T20Is at an average of 21.15, more significantly at an eye-popping economy rate of 7.29. In an era where defensive bowling and economy rates have taken precedence in the shortest format, Axar has turned out to be Mr. Reliable for the Indian team.

Somewhere, it sets up the narrative that Axar’s performances go under the radar in the shorter formats of the game. Just excavate more information from India’s victorious 2024 World Cup campaign and you will observe Axar’s importance. In the Super Eights game against Australia, Travis Head, India’s bugbear, was going great guns. Axar, however, stepped up by finishing with economical figures of 1 for 21 from three overs.

In the subsequent semi-final versus England, he ripped through their batting order. Axar was awarded Player of the Match too, yet when it came to cricketing discourse, it felt as if India’s batting effort hogged the limelight. Axar has been a banker for the side even during India’s bad days. In the 2022 edition of the World Cup, India had a chastening experience against England in Adelaide. Jos Buttler and Alex Hales took India apart. Even then, Axar’s figures read: none for 30 from four overs.

In the ongoing World Cup, Axar hasn’t just taken six wickets, but he has also kept the runs down. In the India–Pakistan game, when Axar was introduced into the attack, his side was already in the ascendancy. Even then, Axar made a vital contribution by removing the one batter who looked in good nick, Usman Khan.

So, what works for Axar as a bowler in the abridged versions? For starters, he doesn’t have the variations of a mystery spinner. Perhaps it comes down more to his round-arm action, which brings a slightly different release point into play. It is a foregone conclusion that Axar likes to fire it in at pace and bowl a stump-to-stump line, with the occasional delivery turning away from the right-hander. However, with time, he has also learnt to vary his pace. For Axar, the mantra is simple: stick to the basics.

Lest we forget, he is also a useful batter who can be employed as a floater in the batting unit. Unlike in Test cricket, Axar may not get enough opportunities to build an innings, yet he has turned out to be a utility member of the T20I side. In the all-important 2024 T20 World Cup final, Axar’s 31-ball 47 was one of the cornerstones of India’s recovery after they had found themselves three down for just 34. A few months earlier, he had struck a valiant 65 in the backdrop of India losing five wickets for only 57 runs against Sri Lanka.

In the shortest format, India have an enviable squad full of game-breakers. Among those gamechangers, the unassuming Axar is a banker of sorts, although you may need a Statsguru or archived records to list the unsung player’s finest performances.

The post The unsung journey of Axar Patel appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.



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