‘I was angry, disappointed for few days’: Axar Patel Recalls Missing Out World Cup Due to Injury

All-rounder Axar Patel was all decked up for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 when a quadriceps injury ruled him out of the event. His absence made way for one of the most seasoned campaigners Ravichandran Ashwin in the Team India squad, leaving him disheartened and full of agonized thoughts. But instead of mulling over his unfortunate way too much, he converted his anger into his training and applied the learned tricks behind the curtains in the 4th T20I India vs Australia in Raipur on Friday.

Unlike the previous three games, Patel got the new ball to bowl. His new bowling techniques helped to clean bowl two victims out of three. At the post-match meet on Friday, Axar told how the conditions were favourable for him to trouble the Australian batters.

“Didn’t change anything much, did the same what I’ve been doing in the series so far. I was bowling back of the length because of the dew which wasn’t much here [in Raipur]. Since I came early into the attack, the seam was dry which let me bowl through the air which was the plus point. And also there was a little grass on the pitch so it was skidding a bit. So, I think that troubled them against the spinners,” Axar said in the press meet.

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The 3 wickets of Axar were three different kinds of deliveries. Speaking about the various in his bowling, Axar said changing the speed is a must in the shortest format of the game, apart from keeping the line and length intact.

“I did vary my speed, not only in this game but in the previous games as well. We have to be particular about the line and length, but variation is also important in the T20Is, so I did the same,” he added.

He feels bad missing the ODI World Cup 2023 due to a thigh injury. But he got well soon in a week’s time and played the T20I series.

“It [the disappointment] obviously happens. The World Cup was in India and I missed out due to injury. I did feel bad for the first few days but it all turned out well as the team started performing well in the tournament. I was back to basics in the training,” Axar told the media.

“The first 5-10 days are tough when you are out due to an injury. Obviously, I was angry but you cannot do much about it. It’s a part and parcel of the game,” he added.

Axar Patel was not included in the Tests and T20Is squad. Ravindra Jadeja returns to the shortest format as vice-captain and will also take the spin-bowling responsibilities with Ashwin in 2 Tests.

“I don’t think much about the things which are not in my control. What if I was beaten today? Then you would have said, ‘Aap Thode Naaraz The’. But I don’t think that way. It’s okay if Jaddu Bhai is coming in my place. It wasn’t in my mind that I needed to prove myself because I was not on the South Africa tour. I’ve been doing well so far. I was focused on this game and I’m happy that I got wickets,” he said.

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