When a young Axar Patel made his debut for India, he was being hailed as the next big thing in cricket, but he hasn’t quite lived up to that hype yet. Axar has recently had four chances to prove himself in the ongoing India versus New Zealand series but each time he has come up with mediocre performances.
For example on Wednesday, the all-rounder had a chance of winning his side the contest, but he failed to rise to the occasion. India were in big trouble when he came into bat, and the hosts needed a whirlwind knock from the youngster to help turn the tide.
He started off well by clubbing a few to the ropes and sending one into the stands but just when it looked like it was a day for the left-handed batsman to shine he was cleaned up by a fast Yorker from Trent Boult.
The delivery was quick but not well directed and should have been whipped to the legside boundary, but then maybe it was too fast for Axar as it rattled the stumps after thudding off the pad. India eventually fell short by 19 runs and it was also a night to not fondly remember for the all-rounder event though he notched his highest ODI score of 38.
With the ball too he hasn’t had the best of outings as he has claimed just two wickets in the series so far to the giving away 177 runs.
In this article, we see why Axar Patel does not belong to the big league.
1# Lack of bowling variety
He made his debut two years back against Bangladesh in Dhaka, from then till now Axar has not changed much regarding his bowling. He is still unable to bowl the one which comes back to the right-hander and has only developed the faster delivery.
Just before the beginning of the IPL 2016 Axar had said, “You expect top batsmen to read you well after two-three seasons at this level and that is why I felt the need to add more variety to my bowling. I am tossing up the oddball in training, but it doesn’t mean I will only do that. I will continue bowling the flatters ones and try to mix it with the odd flighted ball.”
But only seldom do you see him flighting the ball and mixing it up. He is often short which gives batsmen ample time to rock back and smash him to the ropes. The lack of wicket taking deliveries is quite prominent as he has only picked up two New Zealand batsman in the ongoing series.
“ He just rolls the ball; he does not have the flight and his deliveries are very much predictable. He does not turn the ball unless the pitch is favourable. He is slightly slower than medium pace,” Gavaskar had once said about Axar.
#2 Inability to score big
He is often called an all-rounder, but to establish this, he has to score big as well. His highest score in One-Day Internationals came in the last game where he managed to amass 38 runs smashing three fours and a six en route. But where is the consistency?
He averages 13.27 in the ODI format from 29 games. In Test too he has been poor with the willow amassing just 62 runs from five innings.
Axar’s highest ever score in domestic cricket is 110 not out, and that is the only century he has so far to show for his batting abilities. Though he averages above fifty in first-class cricket, he has never been able to replicate the same form at the international level.
He had a golden chance of getting to a big score in the last game but then again it was not meant to be.
#3 Inability to finish
Axar has featured in 29 ODI matches but has only scored 146 runs at an average of 13.27. The 22-year-old has got quite a few opportunities to finish a game but has often failed to do so. The last game against New Zealand was the perfect platform for the youngster to do so, but then again he failed.
When one considers Ravindra Jadeja for whom Axar is in as replacement his numbers are way better. The former averages 32.43 in ODIs and has often been quite a handy batter lower down the order, time and again when India have needed him.
#4 Nothing to show for in ODI career
After 29 games Axar has literary nothing to show for as performances. He has just 146 runs from 17 One-Day outings with the bat. He has a poor average of 13.27 with a strike rate of 92.99.
He doesn't even have a limited-overs fifty to show for his batting skills. He has 33 wickets from the games with best figures of 3/39. One expects a bowler who has played against the likes of minnows like Zimbabwe and Bangladesh to at least have a five-for in the format.
He has a bowling average of 31.75 bowling average which is not quite impressive in the 50-overs format.
#5 Picked on IPL exploits
It was Axar Patel’s exploits in the cash-rich Indian Premier League which helped him get into the Indian side. But the IPL cannot be the only tournament to judge the potential of a player.
He has been quite handy in the tourney bowling on turning tracks during the dry months of April, May but in the Ranji and the Duleep trophies he has struggled.
In domestic T20s which includes the IPL, he has scored 615 runs at an average of 18.63. While bowling, he has picked up 69 wickets which include a best of 4/21.
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