Since his impressive Test debut in 2021, opportunities have come few and far between for the 31-year-old Axar Patel. The all-rounder has only represented India in 14 Tests, where he has four fifty-plus scores, and picked up 55 wickets @19.34.
Despite those outstanding numbers, the all-rounder might yet again not start in India’s playing XI during the two-match Test series against South Africa. But that doesn’t hamper the 31-year-old from going through his preparations, with the all-rounder stating that he’s done his homework ahead of the series.
“I don’t like to be surprised. See, the likes of (Aiden) Markram or (Temba) Bavuma, I know what they do. Other batsmen I watch videos. Look at what the performance-analyst sends. Look at the apps, their batting. Tomorrow I don’t want to be surprised: ‘oh this guy sweeps or cuts or whatever the shots are.’ I generally tend to focus on my bowling. What I can do. But with the awareness of what to do against a few specific batsmen,” Axar told The Indian Express.
There’s a perception that has surrounded Axar that he is daring, but the all-rounder has broken all those claims, stating that he’s well-prepared and confident, starkly different from daring.
“There is a difference. Daring is like tukka (freak luck). I am not going there with 50-50, laga toh laga type. You go hit out, or try some random balls as a bowler and hua toh hua (If it happens, it happens). I am not like that. I prepare so well that I am confident. Confidence in myself is my thing.”
Last year, Delhi Capitals made the bold move to make Axar Patel their full-time captain, a role that he excelled in, leading the franchise to four impressive wins to kick off IPL 2025. While they ultimately fell short of a playoff spot, the all-rounder impressed in his role with his out-of-the-box thinking and street-smart ideologies.
But more importantly, Axar reckoned that the language ‘English’ should never be the gauging factor for someone’s captaincy skills, but rather how they proactively take decisions on the field.
“People start saying ‘oh he is not a captaincy material, he doesn’t speak English. How will he talk? Yeh hai, voh hai’. Arre! Captain’s work is not to just talk. Captain’s work is to know the player and see how to get the best out of him. What’s his strength, what’s his weakness. Captain knows that I have this player and what I need to do to get work out of him (“kaisey kaam nikalwaana hai”). And in game situations, who to give the ball now.”
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