Last Updated:
Patel lauded the efforts of his compatriot Varun Chakravarthy, who posted a five-wicket haul, to make a statement and hailed his fightback to earn his spot in the team following a nightmare start t his international career.
India’s Axar Patel celebrate the wicket of New Zealand’s Kane Williamson during the ICC Champions Trophy cricket match between India and New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri )
Team India will take on Australia in the semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday, as they finished at the top of Pool A following three victories in as many fixtures for the men in blue at the event.
Indian all-rounder Axar Patel lauded the efforts of his compatriot Varun Chakravarthy, who posted a five-wicket haul, to make a statement and hailed his fight back to earn his spot in the team following a nightmare start t his international career.
“Credit goes to him. The T20 WC (2021) was not a good experience for him. But after that he has come back and his mental skill shows how ready he is. I think he is carrying forward his performances in T20s to ODIs,” Axar said.
“It is very difficult to read from his hand. And the pace with which he bowls is very difficult. So, I think, if a batter misses (the line), there is a higher chance of getting out. He is fast in the air also,” he added.
Axar also spoke about being promoted up the batting order and compared it to days when he would play at the very tail end of the innings.
“When I get an opportunity, I try to bat based on the situation. But now, the approach has changed. Earlier, I used to come down and had to make runs quickly. Now, I know that there are more batsmen behind me, so I can play accordingly.”
“I know that I have a lot of time. It depends on the requirements of the team as well and if I feel that I have to attack the spinner, I play accordingly, like I had a partnership (a 98-run fourth wicket stand with Shreyas Iyer) in this match vs NZ, and we could have a good total,” he added.
In the England series, the all-rounder scored a half-century in the Nagpur ODI and went on to score an unbeaten 41 in the second match in Cuttack.
