IND VS AUS 2023:Axar Patel: India will be playing against Australia in the second test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy at Delhi on Friday ( 17th February). Left-arm spinner Axar Patel played a match-winning knock against the Aussie attack in the first test match, he scored 84 runs in 174 balls while batting in the 9th position for his side.
Star Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja compared Axar’s batting with the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s ton in the Nagpur test match.
Jadeja on Axar Patel’s batting display in the first test match –
“It’s not like he has done it suddenly. Ever since he’s come into the Indian team, he has kept on performing. I remember there was this game in West Indies where all our big batters had failed and from there, he won India the game. So he has that batting skills which the Indian team too respects. And he did it again. The wicket was not easy to bat on. The calmness, composure and solidarity displayed by Rohit Sharma was seen in Axar Patel too. He batted as if there were no demons on this wicket“, said Jadeja.
The left-arm orthodox spinner Jadeja is referring to the knock Patel played against the West Indies in Port of Spain last year. Axar played an unbeaten knock of 64 runs in 35 balls, he scored a half-century in 20 balls and became the second-fastest Indian to score a 50 in ODI. The 29-year-old Patel with his knock helped team India to chase down the target of 312 runs while batting on 7th position for his side.
“He is one of those players rises to the occasion – when the opportunity provides or when the team is in trouble or when all eyes are on him – and takes his game to the whole different level. I have heard things about him such as he is very casual, but someone who enjoys his game. But he improves when needed“. added 34-year-old Jadeja
“If Ravindra [Jadeja] has taken 30 Test matches to improve his batting, he has taken just 4 I guess. He is performing his primary role of a bowler with aplomb but in batting too he has made rapid strides. If I have to rate all three all-rounders, then I will place Axar on top,” he further added
Indian cricket team won the first test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy at Nagpur. Men in Blue won the game by an inning and 132 runs at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium. Asian giants will be looking to successfully retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy for the fourth time in a row against Australia.