Indian all-rounder Axar Patel credited lessons from his “past mistakes” for his match-winning performance in India’s 48-run victory over Australia in the fourth T20I at Gold Coast. The comprehensive win gave India an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series, with the opening game having been washed out.
Axar’s contribution came in both departments, first with a quickfire 21 off 11 balls, including a six and a boundary in the final over off Marcus Stoinis that pushed India to a competitive 167-run total, and later with two crucial wickets during Australia’s chase. His all-round brilliance earned him the Player of the Match award.
Axar on His Late Cameo
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Speaking in a post-match chat with teammate Shivam Dube on the BCCI.TV, Axar revealed the mindset behind his vital late cameo.
“I knew it was tough because wickets were falling one after another. The message from the dressing room was to take the game deep since there weren’t many batsmen left after me,” Axar said.
“So, I decided to take my chances in the last over. The side boundaries were big, but I felt that if I could hold my shape and watch the ball closely, I could clear them.”
Learning from Past Errors
The 31-year-old admitted that his improved shot selection came from learning not to overthink the dimensions of the ground. “In the past, I’ve made mistakes by overanalysing the size of the boundary. When you start thinking about where not to hit, you end up playing predetermined shots and making errors,” he said. “This time, I trusted my instincts, played freely, and it worked.”
Axar’s composed approach under pressure helped India recover from a middle-order slump and finish with momentum, a total that eventually proved more than enough.
Disciplined Bowling Under Dew
Later with the ball, Axar maintained tight lines on a surface offering little turn. “As a spinner, I felt my job was to contain. I wasn’t getting much spin, but there was a bit of bounce due to dew, and the ball was skidding a lot. So, I kept bowling wicket to wicket,” he explained.
The DRS Moment
Dube also asked Axar about his successful review that dismissed Matthew Short, trapped leg-before after a precise call. Axar admitted that he usually avoids reviews, but this time, he trusted his instincts and his wicketkeeper, Jitesh Sharma.
“I’m never the one to take reviews,” he said with a laugh. “But when the ball hit the pads, I thought it stayed low. My action is wide off the crease, so I usually think it’s missing the stumps. But Jitu said, ‘Axar, it’s in the middle,’ so I decided to go for it, and it turned out right.”