IND vs AUS 2022: “Ricky told me I would be the finisher in the team” - Axar Patel credits IPL 2022 stint for significant improvement in batting
Team India all-rounder Axar Patel stated that his Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 stint with Delhi Capitals (DC) has played a big role in his improvement as a batter in recent months.
The 28-year-old revealed that franchise head coach Ricky Ponting had earmarked him as the team’s finisher, after which he decided to work harder on his batting in the nets.
Axar was India’s standout bowler in the first T20I against Australia in Mohali with figures of three for 17, even as the Men in Blue failed to defend a total of 208. However, his impressive batting has surprised quite a few in recent months.
Speaking ahead of the second T20I against Australia in Nagpur, Axar opened up on his development as a batter. In a video uploaded on bcci.tv, he explained:
“I would say that I am being given more responsibility with the bat. For Delhi Capitals (DC), I was batting at No. 6 in the finisher’s role. In fact, Ricky (Ponting) told me that I would be the finisher in the team.
"After being given that responsibility, I started working harder in the nets to prepare for the role. I started thinking what I needed to do to succeed in the position. Once you are able to finish a couple of games, your confidence goes up. I think that confidence is what is improving my batting.”
The left-handed batter hammered an unbeaten 64 off 35 balls in the second ODI in West Indies in July. Thanks to his efforts, India registered a thrilling two-wicket win while chasing 312. He has also played a couple of other handy cameos and even has a Test fifty to his name.
Axar Patel's the hero in Trinidad!
The all-rounder's 64* (35) lifts India to a final-over win over the West Indies, and moves the tourists to an unassailable 2-0 ODI series lead.
#WIvIND https://t.co/fSSZ41BkW8
While Axar did reasonably well with the bat in the IPL, he did not get a lot of wickets. The all-rounder, however, stated that he wasn't bowling badly as he was able to hit the right areas. He explained:
“I wasn’t getting wickets in the IPL, but I was doing well with the bat, so I carried that confidence into my bowling. Even though I wasn’t getting wickets, I was able to bowl in the areas that I wanted to, which is very important in T20 cricket.”
He scored 182 runs in IPL 2022 at a strike rate of 151.67. On the bowling front, he claimed six wickets at an average of 53.50 and an economy rate of 7.47.
“I know my strengths and weaknesses” - Axar Patel
Axar was the only bowler from India who made some kind of impact on the Australian batters in the opening T20I. He dismissed Aaron Finch, Cameron Green, and Josh Inglis to give the Men in Blue some hope.
Asked about the secret to his success, the Gujarat cricketer said that, for him, it has always been about keeping things simple and doing the basics right. The left-arm spinner stated:
“I know my strengths and weaknesses. The better I perform, the more my confidence increases. I gain confidence from my previous performances, and want to carry that forward into the next game.”
Having made his T20I debut in 2015, Axar has claimed 24 wickets in 27 matches at an average of 25.50 and an economy rate of 7.13.