'Idea Was To Get As Much As Close to Aussie Total'-Axar Patel Says Wanted to Score a Century

India spinner Axar Patel helped his team get out of jail on the second day of the second Test match in Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. The hosts were left reeling at 139/7 when Axar walked out and then forged a match-saving stand with Ashwin.

Most top-order India batters were adjudged leg-before on the front-foot, barring skipper Rohit Sharma, who was bowled playing across the line. The worrying trend was India batters playing the Australian spinners with their pads as the first line of defence.

However, Axar and Ashwin applied the strategy to consistently counter-attack the bowlers despite the fall of seven wickets. Instead of plonking the front-foot forward, they used the pace of the deliveries from Todd Murphy (2/53 in 18 overs) and debutant left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann (2/72 in 21.3 overs), to score runs.

Axar got his third fifty — and a second consecutive one in the series — with a six over cow corner off Kuhnemann and another over extra cover off Murphy. He also hit a six off Lyon, but his standout shot was a back-foot punch through the covers off Pat Cummins.

“Century was definitely on my mind, when you get out when you are set. With the new ball, and Shami and Siraj also playing I try to take my chances l, it did not come off today,” he said during the press conference.

“There was pressure in that situation, and we were a little behind in the game. After that, it became very important about how much closer we can go to the lead. So, our target was to see how much closer we are getting to the runs, then we had a partnership between Ashwin and me. The wicket was also a little easy and we got set very well. Our thought was closer we get to the runs, the better it is. So, that was our plan and the lead was of only one run,” said Axar in the post-match press conference.

After making 84 in the first Test at Nagpur last week, Axar backed that performance with a well-made 74 after coming in at number eight, hitting nine fours and three sixes, with his flat six over extra cover off Todd Murphy being the standout shot from his swashbuckling knock. Axar stated that building up on confidence with the bat has been a vital factor.

“It’s not like that. Like, it is about a particular day, the confidence level, and the frame of mind you are in. So, all of these factors are very important. I have been coming from white-ball cricket and I was in good touch in the first game too. So, I am carrying that confidence. When you are feeling that you are in good form, then it is important to build on it. So, the mindset is to play consistently for a longer period.”

Having bowled 12 overs on day one of the pitch in New Delhi, Axar pointed out that being an all-rounder has given him the advantage of getting adjusted to the pace of the wicket quickly and get a thinking insight into what the bowler must be planning when he’s batting.

“In terms of technique, being a spinner myself, I do think over how much difficulty batters get on playing my deliveries. So, I use the same technique, like one bowls to me on same areas and defends constantly. I then think to do trying something else. So, when someone bowls a good ball to me, then we try to tackle it confidently and defend very well so that the bowler is forced to think about doing something else.”

“I really feel that having a bowlers mindset is helping me in matters like this. I batted and bowled on this pitch, so I have gotten used to pace of the wicket, which is working for me.”

In the last 12 months, Axar has turned attention with some serious batting knocks, like a vital 17-ball 38 not out when playing for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2022 or smashing an unbeaten 35-ball 64, including the winning six, in the second ODI against the West Indies last year. He attributes his useful batting contributions to having a mindset of being determined to finishing games.

“When I was with the Delhi Capitals, I used to have chats with Ricky over what new I can do with the bat and when I got into the Indian team, I used to speak to players over batting for a longer period. Like, I used to bat and used to leave it to 30-40, and was unable to get crucial finishes.”

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