If it Wouldn’t Have Been for Axar Patel’s Batting, This Series Would’ve Looked a Lot Different: Ravi Shastri

Rohit Sharma and Co. are in a spot of bother after Australia piled a massive 480 on the board on Day 2 of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of the bowlers as he registered brilliant bowling figures of 6/91. However, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel failed to restrict Australia and took one wicket each. Axar’s lacklustre bowling was particularly disheartening for the fans. Amidst the scrutiny over Indian bowling, Dinesh Karthik posed an interesting question to fellow commentator Ravi Shastri on air. Karthik highlighted Kuldeep Yadav’s absence from all four Tests in the series.

India vs Australia 4th Test Day 3 Updates

“Ravi Bhai, would you have gone with Kuldeep Yadav,” Dinesh Karthik was quoted as saying on-air to Ravi Shastri. The former head coach of Team India replied, “Very early. But if it wouldn’t have been for Axar’s batting, this series would’ve looked a lot different. India wanted strength in their batting, and they got it. Had it not been for his innings in Delhi, India wouldn’t have been able to be 2-0. And his innings in Kanpur.”

Ravi Shastri further suggested that Axar Patel had done the “containing job well.”

He added, “You couldn’t have used him previously in the series. Because the ball was turning. Then Ashwin and Jadeja become your primary bowlers. But here, you need him. And he’s done the containing job well.”

Axar Patel proved his worth as a batter in the series. The Gujarat all-rounder played a huge role in his team’s win in the first two Tests. He scored 84 in the first innings in the first Test in Nagpur followed by a gritty knock of 74 in the second Test in Delhi. Axar’s knock in Delhi stood out as batters like KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara had found it difficult to score on that wicket.

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Steve Smith-led Australia are in a strong position in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, courtesy of centuries by Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green. After Australia were bowled out in the first innings, Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a solid start to their team by batting out the last 10 overs of the day without any concerns. India will have to bat well on Day 3 if they are to surpass Australia’s first-innings total of 480 runs.

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