Follow UsFive games into the 2024 T20 World Cup, India, with the ball, have largely been carried by their seamers, who have taken nearly 75% of the wickets to fall. But, at the same time, Axar Patel’s quietly been having a fantastic tournament, having registered overall figures of 9-1-51-4, conceding runs at an economy of just 6.00.
Against Pakistan, Axar did a fantastic choke-job with the ball, with his two-run 16th over playing a significant hand in the Men in Blue defending the then lowest target in T20WC history.
And against Afghanistan on June 20 (Thursday), the left-arm spinner brought out his best showing in this T20WC, yet, as he registered figures of 3-1-15-1 and spun a web around the Afghan batters.
As someone capable of both attacking and defending with the ball, how does Axar zero-in on what he’s going to do?
“My thought process is, as a left arm spinner, I know what my role is. I can bowl in the powerplay, middle or towards the last, in the 16th or 15th over. I know my role well. I can be called by the captain in any situation. My plan is to know what the team needs at that time,” Axar said in the press conference after the Afghanistan clash.
“If I feel that I need to attack at this time, I need to take wickets, then I plan in that way what I can do. And if I feel that, like in Pakistan, when I came to bowl the 16th over, I felt that if I give less runs in this over, it will be very good for the team.
“So, basically according to the situation, I plan my bowling and as you said there are 3 left arm spinners, so obviously the wickets here, I feel there is an advantage.”
Against Afghanistan, India fielded three spinners for the first time in this competition. And the move proved to be a success as the trio of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar combinedly registered figures of 10-1-67-4, with them running through the Afghanistan middle-order.
Axar claimed that one of the biggest strengths of the aforementioned trio is the strong communication they possess.
“There are 3 left-arm spinners out of which we have 2 finger spinners and 1 wrist spinner. I have played with all of them very well. I think the combination of the three of us is very good,” Axar said.
“We have a good team. We communicate well. Like whoever comes to bowl first, we communicate what is working and what is not. I think that is very important when you bowl as a bowling unit.”
Axar side, the Afghanistan clash saw Jasprit Bumrah register yet another stupendous performance with the ball. The right-armer took the massive wicket of Rahmanullah Gurbaz in his first over and then finished with figures of 4-1-7-3.
Bumrah is now averaging 6.50 in T20WC 2024 while having registered an economy of 3.46.
Axar revealed that Bumrah is so sorted that even the bowling coach largely gives no inputs to him as the 30-year-old has clarity that’s second to none.
“I don't think anyone talks much about Bumrah's bowling. He has an idea of what to do and what not to do. So I think when it is going so well, I don't think the bowling coach is giving so much input that there is some confusion in his mind. He just says that you are doing well, whatever thinking you are doing is also going well.
“So, I think, as much as I have seen, the bowling coach doesn't interfere much. He says this during planning that whatever your mindset is, it is clear, so just execute your plans.”
Do other bowlers, particularly spinners, ever feel pressure coming on to bowl after Bumrah, as they feel the need to match his high standards?
Not really, according to the left-arm spinner.
“See, obviously Jasprit Bumrah is a world class bowler, and you know that with the quality of bowlers we have in our side - we can get out of a tough situation. So, at that time you have to think about what you have, what is your strength, what are your weaknesses.
“So don't think much about what the other bowler did, like you said in partnerships we should bowl like this. I was just thinking that on this wicket what works for me. Like, after 1-2 balls, I realised that if I change the pace and length, it is better on this wicket. That’s what I was doing.
“I was not thinking that he has bowled so well from the other end, I will have to do this and that. If I think that way, I am putting more pressure on myself. I was thinking how I can give my best in this situation. That was my plan and I was bowling with that thinking.”
On the day, India’s opponents Afghanistan slipped to a painful defeat, and succumbed to a tame defeat when everyone expected them to push the Men in Blue to their limit.
But Axar believes that the only way forward for Afghanistan is upwards.
“As an opposition, I think this team can go ahead. I think in the coming years, I think this team will do better,” Axar said of Afghanistan.
And obviously, like you said, how do you take the opponent team? If a team has reached the Super 8, obviously, they have done well. It's not like they won a couple of matches with a fluke or something.
“So, I think everyone who has come to the Super 8 has come with their because of hard work. Everyone has defeated good teams and come to the Super 8. Even then I said that you can't say unpredictable. And as an opposition, the talent they have, as much as we see, as a batsman, bowling, earlier the bowling unit was so good, now the batsmen are also playing a very good role.
“And they are continuously performing. So, I think in the coming years, this team can do better and can move forward. They have that talent and hunger to do better and take Afghanistan forward.”
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