Axar Patel has evolved from being seen as a secondary spinner and a backup to Ravindra Jadeja into a key all-rounder for India, especially in T20 internationals, where he’s recently batted as high as number three. The 31-year-old credits legendary former Indian captain MS Dhoni, under whom Axar began his international career, for helping him transform his mindset towards batting.
“I started as a batter but became a full-time spinner when I reached the NCA. Early in my career, my batting wasn’t up to par, and I began to doubt myself,” Axar shared with the Times of India. “After being dropped in 2018, I put in significant effort to improve my batting. When MS Dhoni was the mentor for the 2021 T20 World Cup team, he pointed out that in my early days under his captaincy, I put excessive pressure on myself, thinking I had to perform constantly, instead of believing in my ability as a batsman. I gradually began to apply Mahi bhai’s advice and regained my confidence.”
Axar’s reliability as a batsman was clear during the 2024 T20 World Cup final. India struggled early on, losing three wickets for just 34 runs in the first five overs. He formed a crucial 72-run partnership with Virat Kohli, stabilizing the innings. Despite being expensive with the ball, he managed to take a wicket, both contributing to India’s impressive victory. “After the T20 World Cup final, I never thought I’d be dropped again,” Axar remarked.
India’s tactic of a flexible batting order has seen Axar play various roles. However, he has increasingly been trusted to perform in the top order, and he feels that this trust is crucial to the team’s strategy. “If I’ve been promoted in the order, it indicates that the team believes in me and acknowledges my capability. When I bat, I don’t view myself as a floater. The management clarifies that I’m not just there to quickly score runs or survive tough spells; I’m assigned a specific role like any other specialist batsman,” he explained.
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/axar-patel-ms-dhoni-batting-t20-world-cup-gaining-confidence-10465797/
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Publish Date: 2026-01-10 14:28:00
