Axar Patel has emerged as one of the most promising young cricketers in India over the last two years. Consistent performances at the junior and domestic levels have propelled him to new heights over the course of this time. After being named as the best young emerging player in India at last year’s BCCI awards, Axar has made his mark in the IPL, for Kings XI Punjab, and is now seen proudly donning his India ODI jersey.
The second ODI of the India-Sri Lanka series was a special occasion for this 20-year old. It was his first international match at his home ground, the Sardar Patel International Stadium in Ahmedabad, and the first time his parents were watching him play cricket in flesh as the Indian international.
The lanky and shy left-handed allrounder from Gujarat admitted to being a little nervous as he strived to impress his adoring home crowd, of which his parents and friends were part. And he didn’t disappoint them at all. Bowling on a visibly green albeit very batting conducive Motera wicket, Axar delivered figures of 10-1-39-2.
Sri Lanka were restricted for 274 for 8 and Shikhar Dhawan and Ambati Rayudu powered them home. After India’s six-wicket win, Axar spoke to BCCI.TV about the thrill of this experience and revealed the secret of the self confidence that all his captains admire about him.
A special moment for you?
It was. This was my first international match on my home ground. I was overwhelmed to see the support of the crowd towards me and that made this moment all the more special.
Your family was here to watch the game. Did that make you a little nervous?
I was a bit nervous because my parents and friends had come here to watch me play. It was the first time that they were seeing me play in the India jersey and I was really keen on doing well in front of them. But I believe there should be a certain amount of nervousness as it pushes you to do better.
You must know this ground like the back of your hand. Was the wicket more on a greener side than usual?
It was a lot greener than usual but it behaved pretty much the same. I have played a lot of matches here and I know exactly what the pitch does and how to bowl here in different situations of the game. I think that knowledge was a big benefit for me today.
There wasn’t much spin on offer. In that case is the variation in length your main weapon?
That’s what I do when bowling on a pitch that doesn’t offer much turn. I try to vary my length quite a bit along with the pace so that the batsman doesn’t get comfortable against me. Since I am a left-armer, I tried to bowl a bit fuller to the left-handers to cramp them for space while creating that angle.
There was a decent carry in the wicket and bounce is your strength. Was that a factor you used to make up for the lack of turn?
It was a crucial factor because I depend more on the bounce than on turn. I like to vary my pace and sneak in a back-of-length ball once in a while. Also, the ball went a little slower off the pitch, which troubled the batsmen and worked as an added advantage for me.
One thing that your Gujarat captain, Parthiv Patel, and also Virat have spoken about is your confidence. Even in the Ranji Trophy you insisted on bowling more to big players like Sehwag and Gambhir. Does that come naturally to you?
I like bowling to big batsmen because doing well against them boosts my confidence. That works the other way round as well and gives me further confidence in my abilities. Initially it’s all about believing and once you convert that belief into performance it has a recurring effect. I believe that I have developed that sort of thinking due to playing in the IPL and CLT20. Generally, we domestic Indian bowlers don’t get a chance to bowl to such internationally accomplished batsmen. In the IPL we get to have conversations with the Indian and overseas international players, bowl to them and learn from them. That has brought about a major boost in my confidence.
You have always considered yourself as a batting allrounder but most teams play you as a bowling allrounder. Have you had to change your mindset towards your game in that regards?
It has been a little different for me but I am slowly getting to terms with that. I know that most teams see me as a bowler first and then a batsman because I mostly bat at No. 7. Although I try to maintain a balance between batting and bowling in my preparations, I have to consciously tell myself that my major contribution to my team will be with the ball. If you want to be in the team, you have to accept and present yourself in the capacity that the team wants you in.
Is there a healthy competition now in the team between you and Jadeja?
From the team’s perspective it is a healthy competition having two bowlers of similar styles. But I don’t see him as a competitor. Since we are both from Gujarat, there is a good understanding between the two of us. We try to help each other out in any way we can and don’t harbour that sense of competition.
