Axar Patel still has the word ‘bowler’ spinning in his mind even after scoring his second Test half-century on a tough wicket in Nagpur. He is not much interested in the achievement of the character ‘batter’. Rather, he is thinking of winning the match by ending Australia’s second innings quickly.
Axar stood unbeaten with 52 runs at the end of the second day of the first India-Australia Test. India runs 321 for 7 wickets. Rohit Sharma is in the driver’s seat by 144 runs ahead of Pat Cummins. Axar, however, can’t wait much. His goal is to win the match as quickly as possible. At the end of the game on Friday, Axar said about his innings,
“I have carried the confidence of last year’s form with the bat. The technique has always been good. I just keep reinforcing it whenever I get breaks. Coaches tell me I have the capability, and I do it whenever I get my chance.”
Difficult on this pitch initially, but once you get used to it, it gets very easy: Axar Patel
Is it creating a bit problem while batting on Nagpur’s 22 yards? Axar replied,
“It is difficult on this pitch initially, but once you get used to it, it gets very easy. But you have to concentrate hard on this pitch.”
The young left-arm all-rounder said,
“When we bowl on this wicket, we will be fresh so we should get more help from it.”
India’s spinning all-rounder refused to give a chance even if the Australians were denied the chance to succeed with the bat in 22 yards of Nagpur. Because, according to him, David Warner and Steve Smith can score runs if they get a chance to settle on the wicket. So they should not be given that opportunity. He wants to play a role in the victory of the team with the ball after the bat.
At the end of the second day, Ravindra Jadeja returned to the Indian team after recovering from injury, with Axar on the wicket. He stood unbeaten on 66 runs. Jadeja-Axar scored 81 runs in the unbroken partnership of the eighth wicket.
Follow Crickdom on Twitter for more.
