Ravi Shastri, the former India head coach spoke in detail about the 28-year-old India star all-rounder Axar Patel, following his impressive performances on the ongoing tour of West Indies. Team India registered a comprehensive victory over West Indies in the first T20I of the series in Tarouba on Friday.
India restricted the hosts to 122/8 in the 191-run chase, registering a 68-run victory to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
While Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik shined with the bat, the bowlers enjoyed an all-round outing with Arshdeep Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi picking two wickets each, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ravindra Jadeja taking one-a-piece.
India maintained their 100 percent win record with the victory in the first T20I on the West Indies tour. The side had earlier defeated the hosts 3-0 in the ODI series under the captaincy of Shikhar Dhawan.
Ravi Shastri Reckons Axar Patel Has Realized He Wasn’t Doing Justice To His Potential As A Batter
The Windies side gave a tough fight in the first two games and had come close to clinching a victory in the second but Axar Patel produced a magnificent performance with the bat to deny the hosts a win in the do-or-die 2nd ODI game. Axar Patel remained unbeaten on 64 off just 35 deliveries, smashing three fours and five sixes to take India to win in the final over.
During the 1st T20I, former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who has worked closely with Axar Patel during the stint, spoke in detail about the player as Ravindra Jadeja – the first-choice player in Axar Patel’s position – was batting on the crease.
“Jadeja has improved vastly. He has realised his potential. I think, on this tour, even Axar Patel has realised that he wasn’t doing justice to his potential as a batsman,” Ravi Shastri said.
“Both of these players have a lot of talent when it comes to the batting department. They will add a lot of balance to the Indian team if they continue in this fashion,” Ravi Shastri said during his commentary stint on FanCode.
Team India will return for the second T20I of the series on August 1 in St Kitts.
Axar Patel Hit 5 Sixes During His 64* In 2nd ODI
Axar Patel struck five sixes in his whirlwind knock of 64* off just 35 balls in the 2nd ODI between the two former world champions. Finishing things off in style for India, the all-rounder smashed a massive six to confirm India’s thrilling win over the Men from the Caribbean in the series decider.
In the 1st T20I, India managed to post 190 for 6 on a seemingly slowish surface, thanks to captain Rohit Sharma’s half-century and Dinesh Karthik’s unbeaten 41 off just 19 balls at the finish before West Indies’ batting was entangled in the web of spin.
India’s move to play three spinners – as opposed to West Indies’ one – reaped rich dividends as Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi combined to pick up five wickets, helping the visitors to a 68-run win in the first T20I of the five-match series.
India 190 for 6 (Rohit 64, Karthik 41*, Joseph 2-46) beat West Indies 122 for 8 (Brooks 20, Ashwin 2-22, Arshdeep 2-24, Bishnoi 2-26) by 68 runs