‘I tried to hit the ball too hard’: Axar Patel reveals what went wrong in T20Is after ODI heroics

Axar Patel plays a shot during the 1st ODI against England. (NOT a photo) NEW DELHI: India all-rounder Axar Patel admitted he was guilty of trying to overshoot the ball during the disastrous T20I series against England and said a change in mindset and more faith in timing helped him produce a match-winning all-round performance in the opening ODI at Edgbaston.Axar, who was named man of the match, performed with both bat and ball as India bounced back from their 0-4 defeat in the T20I series to record a six-wicket win in the first ODI. The left-arm spinner returned figures of 4/62 in 9.5 overs before scoring a composed 57 off 52 balls, leading India to a successful chase of 259 with 28 balls to spare. Captain Shubman Gill (80 not out) and Washington Sundar (52 not out) also made valuable contributions as India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Axar explains T20I issues

Reflecting on his poor T20I returns, where he managed just 19 runs in four innings, Axar said he realized he was sacrificing technique in search of power.“It was very important for me to put in this kind of performance. In terms of my mindset, I needed to stick with it. I had to stay focused rather than thinking it will happen by itself. I had to have confidence and execute my plans,” Axar told JioStar.“I feel I tried to hit the ball too hard during the T20I,” he said.The 32-year-old explained that batting in the death overs during the T20 series forced him to play high-risk shots, which affected his balance at the crease.“When you go into bat in the death overs, you have no choice but to go for the big shots, but I was losing my form a bit. So when I went in to bat in this game, after we got off to a great start, I just wanted to build a partnership,” he explained.

Timing over power pays off

Axar said Edgbaston’s slower surface required patience, forcing him to trust his timing rather than muscle the ball.“I didn’t try to hit the ball too hard because I knew I had time and I could afford to take a few balls. I just focused on my timing,” he said.He added that the conditions made life difficult for new batsmen as bounce, swing and swing rewarded those willing to spend time at the crease before attacking.Axar also credited the return of senior stars Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul, saying their presence brought calm and confidence to the dressing room.

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