Axar Patel: India’s underrated all-round hero in successive ICC white-ball title wins

NEW DELHI: Indian all-rounder Axar Patel continued his fine run in ICC white-ball events, contributing plenty as a designated number five batter, spinner and fielder during Men in Blue’s title-winning ICC Champions Trophy campaign. Perhaps India’s most under-the-radar yet high-on-impact player at the biggest stage in the last two years, he has continued his rise in international cricket across all formats.

Axar has shaped up to be one of India’s most reliable and come-in-clutch players during their winning ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaigns. His numbers might not look the prettiest and lack a massive volume of runs and wickets, but making a positive impact is important, and that Axar has done in plenty, delivering several game-changing moments in these two tournaments.

In the T20 World Cup, during the high-octane clash against Pakistan at New York at a nightmarish pitch, Axar delivered 20 in 18 balls, with two fours and a six and was a part of a crucial 39-run stand with Rishabh Pant that helped India reach 119 in 19 overs, which India defeated thanks to a three-wicket haul by ‘game-changer’ Jasprit Bumrah.

After a brief cameo of 12 runs in six balls against Afghanistan during the Super Eights stage, which pushed India to 181/8 in their 20 overs, Axar’s next moment of impact was against Australia, an opponent that had delivered heavy damage to India in the 2023 World Cup final at Ahmedabad.

Though he did not bat against Australia, he was instrumental in controlling the Travis Head-Mitchell Marsh onslaught, taking a brilliant jumping catch to remove a dangerous Marsh who was dealing in boundaries and sixes and ended a threatening second wicket stand of 81 during 206 run defence. Later, he got Marcus Stoinis for cheap, reducing Australia to 135/4 in 15.1 overs. Aussies ended at 181/7 in their full quota of overs, pushing India at the brink of semifinals.

In the semifinal against defending champions England, while defending 176 for India, Axar unleashed an early spin choke on Three Lions on a tough Providence pitch, taking crucial scalps of a in-control skipper Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali to slide England down to 46/4, ending with a four-over spell of 3/23 which contributed to England’s bundling out for 103 runs and earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

During the semifinals, with India at 34/3, Axar was promoted to number five on a tough Barbados pitch, and he delivered a perfect counter-attack against spin, scoring 47 in just 31 balls, with a four and four sixes. His strike rate of over 151 provided enough cushion and time to Virat Kohli, who had a terrible World Cup till that match, to settle, regain his golden touch and score a magnificent 76 (in 59 balls) worth its weight in gold that took India to a match-winning total of 176/7. While spinners belted Axar during the run-chase, he did get a crucial wicket of Tristan Stubbs, ending a third-wicket stand of 58 runs which had pushed Proteas to 70 runs.

In eight games and five innings, Axar ended with 92 runs at an average of 23.00 and a strike rate of 139.39, with the best score of 47. He also took nine wickets at an average of 19.22 and an economy rate of 7.86, with the best figures of 3/23.

This similar role of counter-attacking against spin earned Axar a promotion to number five in the batting line-up, purely on merit, pushing a much-established and cautious accumulator KL Rahul down to number six as a finisher. He was also India’s crucial wicket-taker on Dubai’s spin-friendly wickets.

Axar’s tournament was off to a fine start against Bangladesh and Pakistan, even though India did not require him much as a batter. A double wicket over in the powerplay (that could have been a hat-trick if was not for a dropped catch by Rohit Sharma), reduced Bangladesh to 35/5. Jaker Ali and Towhid Hridoy did attempt a brave 154-run rebuilding effort, but the partnership felt a little slow and reliant on strike rotation, which could take Bangladesh to just 228/10. Axar made just eight runs in the run chase, but Shubman Gill’s ton sealed the game for India.

During the Pakistan match, the opening pair of Babar Azam and Imam-ul-Haq got Pakistan off to a fiery start as Babar looked to stamp his authority with some boundaries. However, a direct hit by Axar to remove Imam, following Babar’s wicket, pushed Pakistan on backfoot towards the end of powerplay. While Mohammed Rizwan and Saud Shakeel displayed timidness in their 104-run stand, they still had laid a platform for others to fire. However, Axar’s wicket of Rizwan for 46 and a catch to remove Shakeel pushed Pakistan on backfoot, and they went into their shells, making just 241 runs in their 49.4 overs.

While Axar was unbeaten at 3*, he denied a double that gave India a massive joy, in the form of a Virat Kohli century and India’s win.

Against New Zealand, Axar delivered a triple impact. After the pace duo of Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson reduced India to 30/3, his knock of 42 in 61 balls, with three fours and a six and a 98-run stand with Shreyas Iyer, brought India back into the game. India set a challenging target of 250 runs.

A stunning catch by Axar at deep third man to get Hardik Pandya a big wicket of Rachin Ravindra gave India the headstart they needed. Later, an absolute jaffa that resulted in the stumping of Kane Williamson for a hard-fought 81 pushed NZ to 169/7 in 41 overs. They were skittled out for 205 runs in 45.3 overs, giving India a win.

Axar continued delivering with both bat and ball in the knockouts as well. During the high-stakes ‘revenge’ match against Australia, he cleaned up Glenn Maxwell for cheap when, after crossing the 200-run mark in the 38th over, Aussies looked good for 270-300 with Maxwell going full throttle at death overs. Aussies could make just 264. Axar walked out to bat with India at 134/3 in 27th over, playing a knock of 27 in 30 balls, with a four and six, giving a crucial 44-run stand with Virat that helped India reach the target safely.

Later, during the title clash at NZ, Axar delivered eight valuable overs of spin, conceding just 29 runs. NZ could make just 251/7 in their 50 overs. During the title clash, when India lost its top order quickly, from 105/0 to 122/3, it was Axar’s knock of 29 and 61-run stand with Iyer that restored India’s dominant position in the match and gave them the four-wicket win.

In the ICC CT 2025, Axar made a valuable 109 runs in five innings at an average of 27.25, with a strike rate of around 74 in Dubai’s testing conditions.

He also made a case for himself as India’s most miser spinner, taking five wickets and conceding just 4.35 per over. His bowling average was also 39.20. With these two title wins and notable contributions in them, Axar has sealed for himself a permanent place in the Indian-set-up as an impact-making star. (ANI)