Last Updated: January 08, 2023, 08:11 AM IST
Axar Patel with Hardik Pandya (PTI Photo)
All-rounder Axar Patel credited Hardik Pandya for his success in batting, saying that the skipper tells him to play freely and is there to protect as well
Suryakumar Yadav may have stolen the show in the third T20I against Sri Lanka in Rajkot, but there was another player who was equally impressive with his all-round show in all three games. It was Axar Patel who showcased his A-game in the past week; scoring 117 runs and picking up three wickets only to be adjudged the Player of the Series.
Axar’s best knock in the series came out in the Pune face-off when India were chasing a stiff 208-run target. His gutsy 65 off just 31 balls, along with Surya’s 51, seemed to be taking the Indian ship safely to the shore but, unfortunately, that couldn’t happen. The hosts lost by 16 runs but Axar got etched in everyone’s memory.
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On Saturday, Axar interacted with the broadcasters after India registered a terrific 91-run victory over Sri Lanka to begin the year 2023 with a series win. The all-rounder credited Hardik Pandya for his success in batting, saying that the skipper tells him to play freely and is there to protect as well.
“Feel happier when the team benefits from my batting (when compared to bowling). Didn’t do anything different for this series, just that the captain gave me a lot of confidence in the dugout. He tells me to play freely and tells me that he is there to protect me,” said Axar in the post-match presentation.
“We do a lot of planning during team meetings but sometimes things do go wrong and I just focus on doing my plans properly,” he added.
Skipper Hardik also praised Axar, saying that he is proud of the all-rounder and his performance will give a lot of confidence to the team.
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“I’m really proud of him (Axar), the way he is batting down the order and hitting. This will give a lot of confidence to him and the team as well. My motto in life as captain has been that I’ll back my players,” said Pandya.
“These are the best T20 cricketers in India and that’s why they are here. There is no space for doubting in this format and we’re backing the players properly. The way we played in the series was pleasing, we didn’t even play 50 per cent of our game in the second game but we still fought well,” he added.
(With Agency Inputs)
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