“He stays under the shadow of Jadeja but has always been consistent” – Pragyan Ojha lauds Axar Patel batting heroics in IND vs ENG 1st Test
While Ravindra Jadeja stole the limelight on Day 2 of India's ongoing first Test against England in Hyderabad, former Indian cricketer Pragyan Ojha also lauded all-rounder Axar Patel for his heroics with the bat in the last session on Friday.
Ojha’s comments came as Patel stayed unbeaten on 35 runs off 62 balls, hitting one six and five boundaries, as the hosts extended their lead to 175 runs at stumps on Day 2. The left-handed batter finished the day with three consecutive boundaries (4,6, and 4) off Tom Hartley to leave England in despair.
The left-arm spinner also bagged two wickets as England were bundled out for 246 on Day 1.
Ojha labeled Axar as a consistent performer with clarity of shots. He added that the left-hander stays one step ahead of the opposition but feels that Axar stays in Jadeja's shadow.
The cricketer-turned-commentator told Cricbuzz:
“If you put him [Axar Patel] in any other team, he won’t come out to bat that low. If you look at his numbers, he’s a very clear batter. He bats well, his game reading sense is excellent and when you play that low under pressure situations that shows your cricketing sense is a step ahead of the opposition.
Ojha continued:
"This is a rare talent and Axar has developed this. He knows that he has to deliver in both departments to keep his place. He stays under the shadow of Jadeja but has always been consistent.”
Ojha also reserved special praise for Jadeja, who stayed unbeaten on 81 off 155 deliveries, including two maximums and seven boundaries. The former off-spinner from Hyderabad believes that Jadeja has already played a match-defining innings in the first of the five-match series against England. He said:
“These are the innings that turn the match in your favor. If you look at his [Ravindra Jadeja] stats after 2019, the way he’s batted in the lower order, he’s scored 40s and 50s consistently. When he gets the opportunity, he plays big innings as well.
"It’s a match-defining innings because when a team takes the first six wickets, then they think to try and wrap the opposition in the next 40 or 50 runs. You think of a 30 or 40-run lead, but now that has surged up to 175. They are still playing.”
Ojha added:
“Absolute Mr. Consistent at home. He started in 2019 but has been excellent after 2022. When you speak about batters, you talk about openers, No. 3 and 4, so we know his impact and contributions.”
In India, Jadeja has now amassed more runs than Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in Tests since 2022. The left-handed batter has amassed 417 runs in nine innings at an average of 59.57, including one ton and two half-centuries. Kohli and Sharma have scored 378 (at 42) and 356 (at 35.6) in nine and 10 innings, respectively.
“The way Jadeja is carrying his teammates while playing with tail-enders is impressive” – Pragyan Ojha
Pragyan Ojha further credited Ravindra Jadeja for sharing a 68-run partnership with wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat, who scored 41 off 81 balls. The 37-year-old lauded Jadeja for getting the best out of the lower order batters over the last few years by citing VVS Laxman during the end of his career as an example.
He said:
“He's [KS Bharat] still trying to settle in the Test team. He’s scored a lot of runs in domestic cricket, so he knows he can play try freely. But in internationals, he’s still trying to cement his place. So, he’s the pressure to keep his place in the XI."
Ojha continued:
"So, the way he batted with Jadeja, the credit goes to both of them. The way Jadeja is carrying his teammates while playing with tail-enders [is impressive]. He’s doing that consistently.”
At stumps on Day 2, India were 421/7 after 110 overs, with Jadeja and Axar at the crease. The hosts have already stretched their first innings lead to 175.
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