3 reasons why Axar Patel could finish as a legend for India in Tests
Axar Patel has emerged as a new match-winner for India in Test cricket. The Gujarat-based all-rounder scored two crucial half-centuries in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 series against Australia to help the Indian team gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series.
Patel made his Test debut against England two years ago and stunned the English batting lineup with his left-arm spin. In his debut Test series, the all-rounder scalped 27 wickets in just three matches. He had an incredible bowling average of 10.59, while his best bowling figures were 6/38.
A magnificent performance in his debut series helped Axar Patel cement his place in the Indian Test squad. Since then, he has produced multiple game-changing performances. Let's take a look at three reasons why the all-rounder could finish as a legend for India in Test cricket.
#1 Axar Patel has the ability to build partnerships with lower-order batters
Very few batters in world cricket can build big partnerships with tailenders in Test cricket. Not only does the batter need to score runs in such stands, but they also need to keep strike, so that the opposition team does not dismiss the tailender.
In his brief Test career so far, Axar Patel has recorded three half-centuries while batting in the lower order. Patel's first half-century came against New Zealand at Wankhede Stadium in 2021, and he added two more half-centuries to his tally in the ongoing series against Australia.
Patel scored 84 runs on a challenging pitch in Nagpur. India were down to 328/8 in the first innings when Patel joined hands with Mohammed Shami and took the total past 350. India eventually finished with 400 runs on the board.
Those extra runs helped India secure an innings win against Australia. Patel's contribution with the bat played a big role in building the pressure on the Aussies.
#2 Axar Patel's wicket-taking abilities
Bowling average is a crucially important statistic in Test cricket. A bowler is said to be doing well in the longest format of the game if their bowling average is around 30.
Axar Patel's bowling average at the moment is 15.45, meaning he takes one wicket for every 15 runs that he concedes to the opposition. The statistic highlights his wicket-taking skills, and if he continues in the same vein, he could end up as a legend.
#3 Capability to hit boundaries consistently
Hitting boundaries on a challenging pitch in Test cricket is not everyone's cup of tea, but Axar Patel has proven that he can send the ball beyond the boundary ropes consistently. He has scored 407 runs in his Test career so far, smacking 44 fours and 12 sixes.
248 out of his 407 Test runs have come via boundaries, at a strike rate of 52.65. This shows that Patel knows how to pick the bad balls and send them to the boundary rope. Given his excellent all-round abilities, Patel has the potential to end his career as a Test legend for India.