Axar Patel, a key player for Team India, just crossed his 30th year on January 20. His first international match was in 2014. He played against Bangladesh in Mirpur. During this ODI match, his score was 1/59. This helped India secure victory by seven wickets. Axar took his first international wicket, Mashrafe Mortaza, who scored 18.
Despite his talent, Axar Patel isn’t always in the first team. He and Ravindra Jadeja often vie for the same all-rounder role. Still, when given the chance, he usually performs well with the ball. Even more, his bat skills have seen noticeable progress in the past couple of years.
Axar Patel has amassed four half-centuries and captured 50 wickets at an average of 17.16 in 12 Test matches. He has 60 scalps at an average of 32.86 from 57 outings in ODIs. He has two fifties to his credit with the bat. In terms of his T20I career, he has averaged 24.20 with 49 wickets in 52 games. The left-hander has one half-century and a strike rate of 144.40 when hitting.
In honor of his birthday, we examine Axar Patel’s top five Team India memories.
1. Claiming 3 big wickets in an ODI against South Africa
In an ODI against South Africa in Indore in October 2015, Axar made an impression with figures of 3/39. He claimed three crucial wickets when India kept the Proteas to 225 in 43.4 overs while defending a score of 248. Hashim Amla (17) was massively removed by the left-arm spinner, who beat him with turn and stumps him.
Next, Axar Patel caught Jean-Paul Duminy (36), who was well-set, lbw. The left-hander attempted to sweep one, but was hit on the pads after missing the ball. With a chipped catch to cover from Faf du Plessis (51), he claimed his third wicket, another significant one. The Proteas was never able to bounce back from Axar’s pivotal attacks.
2. Picking up 3/9 vs New Zealand in Kolkata
In November 2021, Axar Patel played New Zealand at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and achieved his career-best T20I stats of 3/9. The left-arm spinner’s skill kept the Men in Blue to a mere 111 runs when they were defending 184.
When the 30-year-old trapped Daryl Mitchell (5) at cover with a full ball, he claimed the first wicket of New Zealand’s innings. After that, Mark Chapman (0) was thoroughly stumped after being outplayed in the fly, turn, and dip.
The Indian left-arm spinner dismissed the dangerous Glenn Phillips (0) with three down during the powerplay for just thirty runs. The Kiwi batsman missed a full delivery and attempted a reverse sweep, which resulted in the loss of his leg stump.
3. India clinched a thrilling win over West Indies with a superb knock under pressure
In July 2022, Axar Patel was the finisher in the second One-Day International (ODI) held in Port of Spain versus the West Indies. Axar’s undefeated 64 from 35 balls helped the Men in Blue reach their goal, which was a difficult objective of 312. Five fours and three sixes in a fantastic knock under duress.
With only 10 overs left, India needed another 100 runs and had five players out. The lefty player hit six runs off Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd in back-to-back overs. Even as India was giving up wickets, he continuously located the boundaries at significant times.
Axar Patel hit two straight fours off Shepherd to start the 47th over. The batsman hit Kyle Mayers for a straight down the ground maximum with six needed off three balls, capping a nail-biting victory for India. Axar capitalized on the Windies pacer’s mishandled yorker to help the Men in Blue secure a historic victory.
4. Axar Patel as India’s consistent batsman in the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy
In the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Axar’s role with the ball for India wasn’t a standout. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took the spotlight. Yet, Axar shone with the bat during the four-match series. Surprisingly, he was India’s second top scorer. He managed to score a whopping 264 runs in just five innings, impressive average of 88.
In the first innings of the Nagpur Test, Axar Patel scored eighty-four, and the home team triumphed by an innings and 132 runs. He scored an additional brilliant 74 runs in the second Test in Delhi, helping India win by six wickets.
The left-hander scored a fluid 79 in a tied match during the fourth and final Test of the series in Ahmedabad. He appeared to be the most assured Indian hitter in the entire series.
5. Sensational debut Test series against England
Axar Patel debuted amazingly in the 2020/21 Test series against England. Even though he sat out the first match from a knee problem, he was part of the next three and made quite an impact. This left-arm spin bowler managed to claim 27 wickets, with an astounding average of 10.59. He ended up as the series’ second-highest wicket-getter.
In the second Test match in Chennai, the rookie took two wickets in the opening over and then went on to take 5/60 in the second over as England was bowled out for 164 after chasing 482. The pink ball Test in Ahmedabad finished on Day 2, with the spinner almost unplayable. India scored a quick 10-wicket victory thanks to Axar’s 6/38 in the first innings and 5/32 in the second.
At the same location, the 30-year-old maintained his outstanding form with the ball in the series’ final Test. He finished with 4/68 and 5/48 as India won by an innings and twenty-five runs.
