Rajkot: Axar Patel on Friday made it clear that he does not consider himself as a substitute of Ravindra Jadeja in the limited overs format and will “automatically” get selected if he is doing well. Patel, who has been preferred over seasoned pro Jadeja has played 8 ODIs since August taking 10 wickets and more importantly has been economical in most of the games.
“I have got a place in the team and that’s why I am playing. I am of the view that if I do well in one game, I will automatically be picked in the next match,” Patel said.
After losing the first ODI against New Zealand in Mumbai, where Tom Latham repeatedly played the sweep shot against Kuldeep Yadav, the Indian team changed it’s ploy bring in Axar, which worked for the Men In Blue. “They played the sweep (shot) well in the first game. We knew that against spinners that was the strategy they will adopt and we formalised our strategy as per that by changing the angle by bowling over and round the wicket (in turns),” said Patel, who plays for Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy.
Patel said that skipper Virat Kohli has given him the freedom and confidence to bowl as he wants to. “The captain backs you when you do well. I have been playing from the second ODI. He gives me the freedom to bowl what I want to. He leaves it to on us (him and Chahal) to decide on what to do. He says if that plan doesn’t succeed even then I will back you, which gives us confidence to bowl with a free mind,” said the lanky left-arm orthodox, who had splendid figures of 2/20 in four overs in the first T20 in Delhi.
Chief coach Ravi Shastri was also a left-arm spinner but his advice to Patel has been more on the mental aspects of the game. “He knows my bowling style is different from his. He always says “you know how to bowl and that’s why you are in the team and you continue to do that”. He says all that is mind game, how to handle situations under pressure. He gives me small tips. My role is the same. The wrist spinner gets turn on most wickets and his role is to attack more,” said Patel.
