The Axar way: Minimum fuss, maximum impact

Mumbai: It was just as well that Axar Patel was adjudged the Player of the match in the semi-final against England. The tall spinner has consistently delivered in what are construed in T20s as the ‘tough overs’ during India’s World Cup campaign. Not always is their true value accurately depicted when standard bowling figures are read out.

At Guyana, Axar scythed through England’s top order, reducing them to 49/4 while chasing 172 on a slow, low pitch. For once, not only had the Gujarat spinner stifled the scoring, but he also had wickets to show for his efforts.

Inside the Indian change room, Axar’s tough overs would have unfailingly found a mention on head coach Rahul Dravid’s scrapbook. Even Axar’s few smart overs in a bilateral T20I series in West Indies last year were not forgotten in an ODI World Cup year. Indian captain Rohit Sharma had mentioned this while explaining why Axar edged out off-spinners R Ashwin and Washington Sundar for a place in the squad.

The selectors had also factored in Axar’s improved batting and how he could be used as a floater with the bat. Both Ravindra Jadeja and Axar made the squad and have played together in every single World Cup match so far.

While Jadeja has been largely off the boil, Axar has combined with his Delhi Capitals’ teammate Kuldeep Yadav to share the spoils. Against England, England slipped from 36/0 after 3 overs to 49/4 after 8, thanks to Axar’s spell of 3-0-14-3.

Axar got Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali off the first ball in each of his overs.

“I had a mindset that I have to put it in a good place. Obviously, when you play knockouts, your mindset is that you should start and finish the first and last ball well,” Axar said. “I think it was difficult to hit big shots and it was difficult to hit sweep and reverse sweep because if the ball was down on this wicket, you can’t connect it so easily. Mostly our spinners kept it stump to stump. So, it was very difficult to hit sweep on this wicket.”

There was no respite from the other end as Kuldeep’s unchanged spell of 4-0-19-3, all but ended England’s resistance to clear India’s path to the final.

In the previous match against Australia too, the Capitals spinners had joined forces. From being 125/2 after 12 overs chasing 206, Axar delivered a 3-run over. Kuldeep capitalised by getting Glenn Maxwell’s wicket in the next over, after which Axar got another one in Marcus Stoinis. Australia never recovered.

While the unknown element in Kuldeep’s spin has been the undoing of many a batter, Axar has held his own with remarkable accuracy. Almost antithetical to perceived wisdom of variation bowling being effective in T20s, Axar’s ability to make subtle changes in his release points and use of the crease has seen him stay on top of the game.

Axar’s has proven be an inspired selection as he has been the only Indian spinner to have bowled in the Powerplay. Once India dropped Mohammed Siraj to play the extra spinner in the West Indies, Axar has picked up 3 wickets in his 6 Powerplay overs conceding only 7 runs per over.

Whether it was the 16th over he bowled to Imad Wasim against Pakistan in a crunch moment where he didn’t allow the left-hander to free his arms despite a short leg-side boundary or his crucial batting contribution in the same match, Axar has delivered several arresting performances by being thinking imaginatively with consistency. In his relentlessness, India discovered their most valuable asset of the campaign.

Axar was nursing an injury when Pat Cummins’ Australia silenced Ahmedabad and the home crowd to crash India’s dream in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. They dared to dream again and here they are in eight months’ time, ready to face South Africa at Barbados, three hours of good cricket away from glory. This time, India can count on Axar’s control to supplement Kuldeep’s guile, Arshdeep Singh’s swing and Jasprit Bumrah’s pizzaz. As they say, it takes all sorts to win a trophy.