Axar Patel continued his stellar form in Test cricket and claimed another five-wicket haul on Saturday India Back in the first Test against New Zealand. Axar became the leading Indian with five wickets in the first four Tests – 5. He twirled the web to end New Zealand’s batting line-up with 5/62 and thus helped India restrict them to 296. Off to a great start.
The 27-year-old made his ODI debut in 2014, but it took him almost seven years to get into Test cricket, however, his journey in the red-ball format began on a grand note.
Being called a white-ball player, Axar rubbished the claims and said that he has done well in first-class cricket.
“I don’t know who said I am a white-ball player. Whenever I have played first-class cricket or for India A, I have done well. I never thought I was a white-ball player. That’s all. It’s about mindset, whether you think of yourself as a white-ball or red-ball cricketer. For me, I was waiting for an opportunity to perform (in Test cricket). And when I got the opportunity during the England series So I did well. I would give credit to the team for believing in me and giving me a chance,” Axar said in the post-match presentation.
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The left-arm spinner assessed that the pitch is not as difficult as it might seem with only the odd ball turning or keeping low, but at the same time reminded that patience will be the key. “Our batsmen were present on the field and they also have a fair idea. We were discussing that the cracks are not wide open and only the odd ball is doing anything, if you play the ball on its own merits, it won’t be much of a problem.”
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“There is no uneven bounce like this. An odd ball is either turning or keeping low. If they start bowling from a disciplined line and have patience then only our batsmen can face some trouble. I would advise our batsmen to be patient and keep bad deliveries away.”
India struggled to pick up wickets in the early stages as Axar said stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane and head coach Rahul Dravid kept the dressing room quiet which worked in their favour.
“Obviously if you don’t get a wicket for 67 overs, it’s tough but the dressing room was quiet as Ajju bhai and Rahul sir kept the atmosphere calm. He said we have to be patient because if we get one, we will get some more and then we can move on.”
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