Axar Patel, a boy from Anand, Gujarat is probably living the best time of his life. The all-rounder played a major role, both with the bat and ball last month to help India to the T20 World Cup glory. It’s been three weeks since but the aftereffects of that memorable day in Barbados continue to ring loud among Indian fans.
India lifted an ICC title after a long wait of 11 years, while they had to wait a massive 17 years for their 2nd T20 WC glory. “So many people dream of such things and out of them, we 15 have lived the dream,” said Axar on the historic feat that he and the team had achieved in the previous month.
On being asked, has it had sunk in yet for Axar that he is now a T20 world champion, Axar said “Not yet to be honest. And even if we want to, the others are not letting us do it. The kind of atmosphere there is, the people are not letting it sink in. The kind of welcome we are getting, the kind of reception we are getting, locally too, is great. It’s been really enjoyable these last few days,”
“I am not much of a social guy. But when I came back, everyone was showing so much love. Even when I came to Gujarat, I think I reached home after 12 am, and even then, people came in huge numbers to meet me. It was incredible.
“That is when I thought how much craze there is for cricket in this country. It felt that along with us the entire country and the people have won this trophy. I feel fortunate and I am glad to witness these things,” Axar added.
Axar promoted to number 5, played a crucial role for India in the Finals of the T20 World Cup. Things could have been different if it was not for his 31-ball 47 at a critical juncture. India, batting first lost their top order cheaply and were struggling with Virat not getting runs fluently. Axar then walked in and played a gem of a knock to take India out of trouble, alongside the great Virat Kohli.
Axar says the key to that innings was to not second-guess himself and opt for a simple see-ball, hit-ball approach. “I came to know about the promotion barely four or five balls before I went out to bat.” “It wasn’t that long. When Rishabh [Pant] got out, I was asked to get ready and I think in the next over itself Surya [Suryakumar Yadav] got out.
Not having a permanent batting position may put off some batters, but that is not the case with Axar Patel. He has constantly been used as a floater in the Indian batting order. “When the team needs someone to stand up, they are banking on me to deliver. That means they have seen something in me. When the team trusts you to deliver in such crunch situations, you start trusting yourself even more automatically. And once you deliver in one or two matches, it gives your confidence a different sort of boost altogether, said the all-rounder.
With Jadeja being retired from the shortest format of the game, Axar’s role in the team has now increased even more significantly. He will play as India’s primary all-rounder and will surely be eager to win some more ICC titles in the next few years to come.
