Indian spin bowling all-rounder Axar Patel, who was recently named the vice-captain of the Indian team for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, revealed how MS Dhoni’s brilliant suggestion helped him revive his declining career.
Indian all-rounder Axar Patel has recently been promoted across all formats of the game as he proved his batting prowess for the first time during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final against the Proteas in a crucial partnership with Virat Kohli.
With two legends of Indian cricket, Rohit and Virat, retiring from the T20 format, this will be the first ICC tournament that India will play without two of its legends. Rohit Sharma has been a part of every ICC T20 World Cup since the inaugural season in 2007.
Axar Patel credits MS Dhoni for his development as a batsman
Axar Patel made his debut under MS Dhoni in 2015 and could get only 11 chances in 3 years of international cricket. After this he returned to the national team in 2021 and since then his form has been excellent.
Axar Patel has given an honest statement and credited the former Indian captain and the then mentor of the World Cup team for developing his skills. However, now Axar is the best and frontline all-rounder for India in T20 after Hardik Pandya.
“I started as a batsman but became a full-time spinner when I reached NCA. In my early days, I did not perform well with the bat and started doubting myself. When I was dropped in 2018, I worked very hard on my batting.”
“When MS Dhoni was the mentor of the 2021 World Cup team, he told me that in the early days of his captaincy, I used to put pressure on myself by thinking that I have to perform well all the time, instead of believing that I am a capable batsman. Gradually, I started implementing what Mahi bhai told me and got my confidence back,” Axar was quoted as saying by TOI.
“When I go to bat, I don’t think of myself as a floater” – Axar Patel on his evolving batting skills
Axar Patel soon said that he has developed and is developing further with practice every day. Being a lower order batsman at no. From 7 and 8, he started batting regularly at the top order in all formats of the game for India.
He also claimed that the team management has shown confidence in him and his abilities as an attacking player at the top of the order; However, there is no instruction given to blindly accelerate while at the crease.
“If I have been sent up the order, it means the team trusts me and believes I have the talent to play that role. When I go to bat, I don’t think of myself as a floater. The team management tells me that I have not been sent just to accelerate the scoring, play tough spells or target a particular spinner. I have been given the role like any other specialist batsman.”
Axar Patel has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI matches
India’s experienced all-rounder Axar Patel has not been selected in the team for the ODI series against New Zealand. Instead, he will only return to play for India in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
Additionally, Indian team vice-captain Axar, who replaced Shubman Gill, is one of the players from the last edition and one of the finest players for India. This time too he will have several major build-ups
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