According to Rohit Sharma, Axar Patel has been underutilized in the first two Tests as the Indian team has relied on Jadeja and Ashwin to do most of the spinning. Jadeja and Ashwin have taken 14 and 17 wickets, respectively, in the BGT while Axar has only managed to pick up one wicket in 26 overs. This is common in situations where three spinners are playing, as the third spinner is frequently underused.
THE THIRD SPINNER IS ALWAYS UNDERUSED: ROHIT
Although Axar Patel hasn’t been bowling much in the first two Tests, he has played important innings with the bat and scored half-centuries in both matches. As a result, he is likely to retain his place in the starting lineup for the upcoming Indore Test. During a press conference on February 28, Rohit Sharma addressed Axar’s limited bowling opportunities in the previous matches.
Rohit said:
“Ashwin and Jadeja have both bowled really well, so I have to continue to make them bowl them as much as possible. If you have three spinners, you know that the third spinner is always under-bowled. It’s been Axar in these two Test matches. You never know who the guy will be in the next two Test matches. If guys are getting wickets from both sides, you’ve got to continue to bowl them. That’s how it is. You can’t really do too much.”
Furthermore, Rohit also talked about Jadeja and his ability to get wickets at crucial times.
“It comes very naturally to Jadeja. By the time you are walking back to your field, he is already ready to bowl the next ball. Sometimes it is difficult for me to adjust the field. If I want to push a guy a couple of yards behind, this guy is already on the run-up to bowl.”
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