Axar Patel has been in fine form in 2021.
He started the year with 27 wickets in three Tests against England. Axar continued his wicket-taking spree with another fifer against New Zealand in the recent Kanpur Test. The left-arm spinner has now said “this has been my dream year”.

“Actually, this has been my dream year
you can say. The way I bowled in England series and now how the New Zealand
series panned out, in between there was IPL so I can say that this has really
been a good year for me personally,” Axar, who scored 52 and 41 not
out in the ongoing Mumbai Test, told PTI.

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“My endeavour is to keep improving and
look at areas where I need to get better. All the hardwork that I have put in
all these years have finally yielded results this year,” Axar added.

In fact, two crucial knocks in this ongoing
Test make him believe that at home, the trio comprising him, Ravichandran
Ashwin and Jadeja can play as pure all-rounders.

“The batting coach (Vikram Rathour) and
team management have faith in my batting abilities, and they have always told me
that ‘you can do it’. Earlier, when I got chances, I could’nt convert my starts
but this time when I got chances, I was able to convert.

“My batting is benefitting my team and
if you see that myself, Jaddu and Ash bhai play as all-rounders, it releases a
bit of pressure on our batters, so its a good sign. As long as I keep
contributing it’s good for both me and my team,” he stated.

Finger
crossed for South Africa tour

But with the South Africa series the next,
Axar knows that he might have to sit out as Ashwin and Jadeja will get
preference over him along with pacers due to their experience.

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“Team management discusses with us and
they tell us whether we fit in team combination or not. Whatever is priority
for team is done and we just tell ourselves that we should focus on our
routines and how we can keep improving,” said Axar, showing that he was
practical in his thought-process.

‘India’s second innings declaration was not late’

Talking specifically about India’s second
innings declaration, Axar said that the plan was to bat as long as possible
because time wasn’t a factor in this game any more after New Zealand were
bowled out for 62 in their first innings.

“I won’t call it a delay (in
declaration) as there is so much time left in the game. The idea was to bat as
long as possible as this kind of a situation, you don’t get everyday, so the
plan was to make the most of it.

“We were trying to explore various
options and check out what if we have to chase on this kind of a track on the
last day, trying to express ourselves in a different situation,” he said,
explaining the rationale behind the move to bat 70 overs in the second innings.

But the left-arm spinner, who dismissed the
dangerous Daryl Mitchell, said that the pitch has eased out considerably and a
batter can get out only if he commits a mistake unlike in the first innings when
there was a lot of zip off the surface.

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“Two days back, due to the underlying
moisture, there was a fast turn on offer and as time is progressing, the track is
slowing down a bit. So today, even when there was turn, the batter had enough
time to go on the back-foot and negotiate it.

“Only if the batter is making
mistakes, then it’s a bit difficult for him. We have been in umpteen situations
like these and we know what needs to be done in these circumstances. It won’t
always be the case that batters will get out quickly so one needs to have
patience,” he said.