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Simon Doull believes that Delhi Capitals all-rounder Axar Patel did the right thing by scoring at run-a-ball after the side lost early wickets in their IPL 2023 clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Monday (April 25).
The former New Zealand cricketer has often expressed displeasure over batters playing with an underwhelming strike rate in T20s. However, he argued that Axar was forced to play cautiously because of the situation.
The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that Delhi would have been bundled out for a paltry score had Axar tried to play big shots. Speaking about the southpaw's 34-run knock, Doull told Cricbuzz:
"34 off 34, you might be saying, 'Oh, come on Simon! You always talk about strike rate.' It wasn't necessary in that situation. It was about getting to a score that was going to allow them to bring their bowlers into the competition. He could have gone gung-ho and they would have been bowled out for 125 or 130."
Axar helped the team reach a competitive total of 144 against Hyderabad. Doull also lauded the all-rounder for his contribution with the ball, as the left-arm spinner picked up two crucial wickets and added:
"We thought he [Axar Patel] might have bowled a little bit earlier. But the fact that they didn't bring the extra spinner, they just held him back a touch more. He found some turn. He gets crucial wickets. He sums up situations and is an absolute gun in the field as well."
Axar Patel conceded just 21 runs from his full quota of four overs while dismissing Mayank Agarwal and Aiden Markram. He was named the Player of the Match for his all-round heroics following Delhi's seven-run victory.
"I haven't always been overly kind to Manish Pandey at different times but that was a very good innings" - Simon Doull
During the discussion, Simon Doull also reserved high praise for DC's right-handed batter Manish Pandey, pointing out how the player steadied the ship for his team against SRH.
He emphasized that Pandey read the situation very well and played accordingly. Doull elaborated:
"I haven't always been overly kind to Manish Pandey at different times, but that was a very good innings. That partnership got them to a score that they felt they may have been able to defend if they bowl really well, and if Hyderabad don't play as well as they could.
"That's what I talk about when I say game awareness, smarts, and match-winner. So much first-class experience for Manish Pandey. He summed up the situation, and Axar did the same."
Pandey scored 34 runs off 27 balls against Hyderabad. He has fared decently so far in this year's cash-rich league, aggregating 131 runs from five outings.
