Axar Patel opens up on MS Dhoni's 'cool' influence
What's the story?
Spinner Axar Patel has attributed India's dominant showing in Sri Lanka to the camaraderie and mutual respect between the younger players and senior stars in the dressing room. Hailing former skipper MS Dhoni's 'cool' approach to the game, the left-armer insists that the seasoned wicket-keeper batsman continues to inspire the team by backing the younger cricketers.
In a candid chat with India TV, the 23-year old asserted, "Mahi bhai (Dhoni) and all senior players gel well with the youngsters and they are cool. They back us very well."
The spinner added, "It always feel better (to comeback into the Indian team) and yes I am happy because after 8 months I am back in blue and doing good for the team. It's a lovely feeling. I am not thinking about my performance. I just thinking about the process and I'm really happy that I ended as the second-highest wicket-taker (for India) in the (ODI) series. It always feels amazing when you end the series unbeaten. All of us were happy and we are (now) ready for the Australia series."
The background
India stamped their authority on a struggling Sri Lankan team by blanking them across all three formats of the game (9-0) without breaking a sweat.
Coming into the squad for the third Test as a replacement for the then suspended Ravindra Jadeja, Axar did not get an opportunity to make his debut in whites. However, he showcased his skills in the limited-overs leg of the tour by bowling with dexterity and piling unrelenting pressure on the Lankan batsmen.
The heart of the matter
In the five-match ODI series, Axar picked up six wickets at an average of 25.66. Only Jasprit Bumrah and Sri Lanka's versatile spinner Akila Dananjaya ended up with more scalps than the left-armer. The 23-year old's economy rate of 3.85 was the best among all bowlers who rolled their arm over.
Apart from remaining as safe as ever behind the stumps, Dhoni scored 162 runs at a strike-rate of 82.23 without getting dismissed even once in the series. His composed 68-ball 45 in the second ODI at Kandy helped India stave off a stirring spell from Dananjaya on a turning track.
The manner in which the 36-year old guided Bhuvneshwar Kumar during their match-winning partnership highlighted his importance to the national set-up.
What's next?
A buoyant Indian team are set to take on Australia for 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is at home. The series begins on the 17th at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Author's take
Axar's words reiterate the significance of Dhoni as well as other senior stars to the team's cause. Tougher challenges await the Indians but their invigorating dressing atmosphere keeps them in good stead for the upcoming matches.