Axar, India's Silent Crusader

The spin-bowling all-rounder has consistently delivered for Men in Blue whenever needed

- GOMESH S @Chennai

ON June 29, 2024, when Axar Patel walked out to bat at the Kensington Oval, Barbados, the occasion could not have been bigger. India versus South Africa. Men's T20 World Cup final. Scoreboard read 3/34 in 4.3 overs. Over the next nine overs, Axar ensured that India did not lose the momentum while allowing Virat Kohli to be the anchor.

Even as Kohli walked away with the player of the final award, it is hard to look past Axar as the one who not just saved but changed the game towards India during the first innings. However, Axar and the Indian team knew it was just the first of many such occasions where the all-rounder could deliver under pressure for the team. He is not just India's first-choice all-rounder but the trusted vice-captain in T20Is and the No 5 in the 50-over format.