Axar Patel is going to be one of India’s greatest players: Gavaskar

Former captain Sunil Gavaskar foresees Axar Patel becoming one of India’s greatest players thanks to his all-round skills and “cricketing intelligence”, which was on display during two “unbelievable” fielding efforts in the T20 World Cup semifinal win over England.

Axar got rid of the dangerous Harry Brook and Will Jacks in two different yet important phases of the game, which India won by seven runs in Mumbai on Thursday night.

The India vice-captain ran 24m backwards from the cover position to pull off a stunning catch off a slow-cutter from Jasprit Bumrah to dismiss Brook inside powerplay.

His second act of brilliance came in the 14th over when Jacob Bethell got out. It was a wide full toss from Arshdeep Singh that Bethell sliced towards deep point and Axar scampered to his left to catch the ball before relaying it to Shivam Dube as he crossed the ropes.

“Axar’s catch to dismiss Brook was unbelievable. Brook can take the game away and you have to grab every chance to get his wicket. Axar did that. He ran 24m away from his fielding spot, kept his eyes on the ball, balanced himself, and took the catch. Unbelievable stuff,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

“He also played a key role in Will Jacks’ dismissal. The Bethell-Jacks partnership was taking the game away. But Axar ran to his left, grabbed the ball, and smartly passed it to Shivam Dube. That shows great cricketing intelligence.

“At the highest level, temperament separates the greats from the good. With his batting and bowling, Axar is going to be one of India’s great players,” the former batting great added.

Gavaskar said Axar is doing well to fill the void left by the T20 International retirement of Ravindra Jadeja.

“We had Ravindra Jadeja before him and Axar is filling that void well. His bowling needs a little more polish. That will come with experience. His line, length, and speed are improving every year.

“The vice-captaincy means he is thinking about everyone’s game, not just his own. That is great for his growth,” said the former India captain,” he said.

Peerless Bumrah

Gavaskar was also effusive in his praise for “once in a century bowler” Jasprit Bumrah who stifled England towards the fag end of the run chase.

England needed 45 runs from 18 balls at one stage with centurion Jacob Bethell (105) going strong.

But Bumrah squeezed a tight 18th over to allow only six runs nailing his yorkers with pin-point accuracy, which left England with the improbable task of 39 runs to score from the final two overs.

“Jasprit Bumrah is not just a once in a generation bowler. He is a once in a century kind of a bowler. Because he plays all formats. Test matches, 50-over games, T20s. You give him the ball, he will deliver.

“Yes, there might be odd match where he goes for runs. That’s understandable. He is human after all. But more often than not, when it matters, Bumrah will bowl that crucial over. It might not always be a wicket-taking over. But he will give just seven or eight runs when others are going for 15 or 20.”

On the prospect of India becoming the first team to lift the T20 World Cup title at home, Gavaskar said, “It would be really special to witness India lifting the T20 World Cup trophy on home soil.

“Any time you play at home in a World Cup, it is special. The backing you get from the crowd, the applause when you do well, whether you save runs, take a catch, or score runs, it is an incredible feeling.”