IND vs ENG : Axar Patel – Aim is to bowl wicket-to-wicket and make use of conditions

Axar Patel stated that he always aims to bowl wicket-to-wicket and make the most of the conditions as he did against England on Day 1 of the second Test of the ongoing series in Ahmedabad.

Axar Patel’s Test debut in the previous Test match in Chennai was memorable, to say the least, having claimed a five-for, while ending the match with figures of 7/100. Many would have argued that the southpaw got immense aid from the pitch conditions at the Chepauk, but the second encounter, which began yesterday, was totally different.

It was the first Test match at the renovated Narendra Modi Stadium and the second-ever pink-ball match on Indian soil. In spite of not being too familiar with the conditions, the local-boy managed to spin a web around the English batting line-up and claimed six wickets as the visitors were bundled out for 112 after they opted to bat first.

Also read: Axar Patel And Shahbaz Nadeem: An Analytical Study Of Two Contrasting Left-Arm Spinners

During the press conference post Day 1, the cricketer stated that he always aims was to bowl wicket-to-wicket and make the most of the conditions, which he executed at the Motera, on Wednesday.

“When things are going for you, you need to capitalise. My aim is to keep wicket to wicket and use the help on offer,” Axar said in the press conference post the day,” said Axar Patel, during the press conference.

“With a lot of T20 cricket happening, the effects are there in Tests as well with batsmen being more aggressive. That’s why keeping a tight line and pushing it through quicker is being more successful. If the batsman is defending well, then you go on the back foot in your mind. But if he’s not defending well and going for sweeps and reverse-sweeps you feel there’s a chance coming,” added the player.

Learnt the art of bowling arm ball by practicing, again and again, reveals Axar Patel

Axar Patel was seen using the arm-ball to great effect, with the English batsmen having no clue on how to counter it. When asked regarding the same, the cricketer was swift to point out that he mastered the art of bowling the arm ball during his time at the NCA in Bengaluru.

“I learnt the art of bowling arm ball by practising it time and again. When I was in the National Cricket Academy, Venkat Sir really helped me a lot. Earlier, I used to be a pacer, so bowling faster arm balls came from that time only,” informed Axar.