India vs England 2021: Axar Patel makes a statement with a performance for the ages on his home turf

India vs England 2021: Axar Patel makes a statement with a performance for the ages on his home turf
Axar Patel

Axar Patel has been one of the hardest-working cricketers in the domestic circuit as he has been a vital cog for Gujarat. It was hence, a grand homecoming when he stepped in to don the India whites for the second time in his career at the newly constructed Narendra Modi Stadium. He was already in terrific form having picked up a fifer in the second innings of the second test in Chennai. Although he was expected to do well, not many would have expected him to come up with a performance for the ages.

Axar was supposed to debut in the first test in Chennai. The stage was set perfectly for a grandstand showing in the opening match of the series. Ravindra Jadeja was injured and he was the obvious like-for-like replacement. However, a knee injury just before play started meant Shahbaz Nadeem was picked. Nadeem couldn’t come good on a flat track and was also guilty of bowling no balls which meant Axar got his well-deserved debut in the next match where he shone with a fifer. But, it was the third test where the southpaw came into his own.

Axar Patel is here to stay

Axar Patel

Axar Patel was straightaway into the thick of things when the test began. He accounted for the returning Jonny Bairstow who is known to be among the best players of spin in the country. He then went on to pick not one, not two but five more wickets. What was even more incredible about the feat was that every dismissal with the exception of Stuart Broad’s was either bowled or LBW. This was proof right there of Axar’s accuracy and relentless lines and lengths. If one fifer wasn’t enough, Axar got another in the second innings!

The leftie was already confident of his abilities and with the pitch assisting him, started to breathe literal fire. He bowled Zak Crawley off the first ball of the innings with a peach. He was on a hattrick when he trapped Bairstow in front to get what he thought was a hattrick only for the third umpire to overturn the decision after a review. But Axar wasn’t going to be bogged down by the decision.

It was all working excellently in his favor. It was like he could do no wrong. Sunil Gavaskar on commentary stated vociferously that Bairstow would not last long against Axar. Boy, was he right! Off the very next ball, a straight delivery from Axar crept in through the gap between bat and pad to dislodge the stumps. Dom Sibley, Joe Root and Ben Foakes then fell prey which meant he finished with a whopping haul of 11 wickets.

Axar is a good turner of the ball but isn’t the best in the Indian team by any means. Similar to Ravindra Jadeja, his sliders, arm-balls, quicker-ones and those turning with help from the pitch are extremely difficult to read. India have vast riches with regard to their spin talent at the moment. With Jadeja back, he will slot straight back in to the side. But, Axar has made a case for himself to be used as the third spinner at home and as the back-up third option in away tests with his performances in the ongoing series. It is evident that Axar is here. Here to stay.

Also Read: Here’s the list of fastest players to pick 400 wickets