India vs England 2021: Axar Patel looking to capitalise on great start in Test cricket
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In the first international game at the newly built Narendra Modi Stadium, India are in full control. Despite losing the toss, the hosts have managed to get their noses ahead as England crumbled for just 112 in the pink-ball Test. With the ball, Axar Patel was the star of the day as he scalped six wickets to follow up a fifer in his maiden Test.
By doing so, Axar has become only the third Indian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in his first two matches. Former India pacer Mohammad Nisarwas the first to achieve the feat in his second Test which was in December 1933. Former Indian legspinner Narendra Hirwani in 1988 was the second Indian to repeat it.
Axar Patel registers career-best figures
The 27-year-old spinner became the first bowler to scalp a fifer in the newly built stadium, his home ground. Axar is rearing to the great start he has had to his Test career. His pace is his greatest weapon. And the lanky spinner hails T20 cricket for the discipline in his bowling. It was his relentless line and length which has been key to his success in all whites so far.
“When things are going for you, you need to capitalise. My aim is to keep wicket to wicket and use the help on offer. In Chennai, the ball wasn’t skidding. But here it is and there are more LBWs. 85-90kph is an optimum speed,” Axar said following the day’s play. “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.“
At the end of the day’s play, India ended on 99/3. India saw out 5 overs in the twilight session before Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill started to open up a bit. The latter was removed by Jofra Archer and Cheteshwar Pujara was cheaply dismissed by Jack Leach. But Rohit kept going and got to a well-deserved fifty in the company of Virat Kohli. The Indian skipper was bowled in the last over of the day by Leach as India ended on 99/3.
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Anshuman Mahapatra
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