Axar Patel Credits Timing-Focused Approach For Greater Success In One-Day Cricket
Axar Patel prioritises timing over power in ODIs.
India all-rounder Axar Patel credited a change in his batting approach for his match-winning performance in the first ODI against England, saying he shifted his focus from trying to hit every ball hard to relying more on timing and building partnerships. The left-hander produced an outstanding all-round display to help India register a comfortable victory in Birmingham and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Axar was named Player of the Match after claiming 4 wickets with the ball before scoring an unbeaten 57 off 52 deliveries, an innings that included five boundaries and a six.
His unbeaten century partnership with Washington Sundar, who also remained not out on 52, guided India to a successful chase of 259 after the visitors had slipped to 160 for four. Reflecting on his performance, Axar said the innings was particularly satisfying after a disappointing run in the preceding T20I series against England. "It was very important for me to deliver this kind of performance. As for my mindset, I needed to keep at it. I had to stay focused rather than thinking it would just happen on its own. I had to have self-belief and execute my plans," he told broadcaster JioStar after the match.
The all-rounder admitted that during the T20Is he had been trying to strike the ball too forcefully, which affected his batting rhythm. "I feel like I was trying to hit the ball too hard during the T20Is. When you go in to bat in the death overs, you don't have any other option but to go for big shots, but I was losing my shape a little," he explained. Axar said the ODI format allowed him more time to settle at the crease and play according to the match situation. He added that India's strong start, led by captain Shubman Gill's fluent 80, gave him the freedom to focus on constructing an innings rather than playing risky shots from the outset.
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Axar said his priority after arriving at the crease was to build a partnership, an approach that ultimately paid off as he and Sundar shared an unbeaten 102-run stand to steer India home with 28 balls remaining. Earlier in the match, Axar made an equally significant contribution with the ball, returning figures of 4 for 62 in 9.5 overs. His spell helped restrict England after Joe Root and Liam Dawson had staged a recovery following a top-order collapse. By breaking key partnerships and cleaning up the lower order, Axar ensured England were limited to a target that India could chase confidently.
The comprehensive all-round performance marked an important return to form for Axar after his struggles in the T20I series. With both bat and ball, he demonstrated the value of adapting to the demands of the 50-over format, where patience and game awareness often prove as important as power hitting. As India head into the remaining matches of the series with a 1-0 advantage, Axar's display has reinforced his role as one of the team's most dependable all-rounders in ODI cricket.
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