Axar Patel does not fly to Australia last November. He is the Vice of the T20is Series -Captain. Not all decisions make sense, but Patel is still here. Now that Indian cricket is undergoing an inevitable transformation, this could be the perfect time for him to become an indispensable player in the full format.
Patel has been asked to cover for Ravindra Jadeja on many occasions over the last few years – mostly at home. Many have pointed out that this is a similar match, but if you look at Patel’s career chart, it is more of a victory of skill, especially in the 2021-22 Test season, where he took five wickets in five innings. A similar batting average but a better bowling strike rate than Jadeja suggests that whenever a slot for slow left-arm bowling comes up in red-ball cricket, Patel is ready to take charge.
He has also played in the T20 World Cup final and was in the 2023 ODI World Cup squad before missing the game due to injury. While it can be argued that India shared Patel’s place in the game when Jadeja was fit and available, there is a counter-argument that Patel’s performance in the early stages of the short format batting was not sufficient.The situation changed significantly when India used Patel as a flow batsman, and this strategy also worked for Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar.
“When it comes to batting, it’s not just about me, it’s about everyone in the team,” Patel said on Monday. “From the start of 2024, we decided to fix the starting positions between 3 and 7 and everyone was told to be flexible depending on the situation, mix and match. “There is no set position where a specific sister will always play. Anyone can be used as a floater at any time.” It’s not just me; In the T20 cricket game, all this uses the right hitter under the right situation.
“This has led to an improvement in PATT’s return -Han’s average of T20i has increased from 14.25 since November 2022 to 25.15, and the strike ratio has increased from 132.55 to 147.96. In the last two years alone, Patel has hit thrice as many sixes he had to his name till the 2022 T20 World Cup. Good returns but could be better, now that Patel’s role will be more prominent in the wake of Jadeja’s, T20I retirement after the 2024 final. In this context, Patel’s elevation to T20I vice-captain is a timely acknowledgement of his importance, as the next T20 World Cup will also be hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February-March 2026.
Therefore, any improvement in this series will only further cement Patel’s position at the shortstop. The target is obviously much bigger, but Patel doesn’t want to be overwhelmed by the pressure. “I just keep telling myself that I’ve played in all three formats of the game, whether it’s Tests, one-day internationals or T20s. My attention is only when I have the opportunity, instead of feeling that someone has to prove something I am chosen. “Said Patt.
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