NEW DELHI: India legend Sunil Gavaskar praised vice-captain Axar Patel for his breathtaking fielding display in the nerve-wracking World T20 semi-final win over England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Gavaskar even compared Axar’s impact in the field with that of Ravindra Jadeja and said the all-rounder filled the void left by one of India’s greatest fielders.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!India had earlier amassed a mammoth 253/7 powered by Sanju Samson’s blistering knock. But England’s chase threatened to derail India’s hopes as Jacob Bethell produced a sensational century to keep his side firmly in the contest.
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But Axar’s brilliance in the field repeatedly halted England’s momentum.The first moment of magic came early in the chase when Jasprit Bumrah fooled Harry Brook with a slower delivery. Brook mishit the shot high above cover and Axar sprinted almost 24 meters before lunging forward to complete a stunning catch inches above the turf.READ ALSO: Axar Patel picks the tougher of his two ‘out of this world’ catches — Watch and pick yours“Axar Patel’s catch in dismissing Harry Brook was unbelievable. Brook can take the game away and you have to take every chance to get his wicket and Axar did that,” Gavaskar said while speaking on JioHotstar.“He ran 24 meters from his spot in the field, kept his eyes on the ball, leveled and made the catch. Unbelievable stuff.”Axar wasn’t done yet. Later in the innings, as Will Jacks threatened to push England closer to a daunting target alongside Bethell, Axar produced another moment of brilliance. Chasing a sliced shot towards deep point, he ran hard down the turf, grabbed the ball while losing his balance at the boundary rope and smartly handed it to Shivam Dube who completed the catch.“He was also instrumental in dismissing Will Jacks. The Bethell-Jacks partnership was taking the game away. But Axar ran to his left, grabbed the ball and played it smartly to Shivam Dube,” Gavaskar added.Gavaskar believes Axar’s rise as a complete cricketer mirrors the impact Jadeja once had on India.“With his batting and bowling, Axar will be one of India’s best players. We had Ravindra Jadeja before him and Axar fills that void well,” he said.
