“If they bowl with patience, then only they can trouble our batters” – Axar Patel’s message ahead of crucial Day 4

India spinner Axar Patel opined that the batters need to be patient tomorrow and wait for bad balls to come their way, if they are to set New Zealand a big total to chase. Axar completed his fifth fifer in Tests before the hosts finished Day 3 with a lead of 63 runs.

Batting became a tad more difficult at the Green Park Stadium today than it was yesterday when the Kiwi openers topped a 100-run opening stand. Few of the Day 3 wickets resulted due to balls staying low and some even spun out of the rough.

Asked how should India’s batters apply themselves on a further worn-out pitch on Day 4, Axar Patel stated that both the batting and fielding sides need to be patient and persistent in their approach.

“Our batters were also present at the ground and they have also gotten an idea. So we were also discussing this, that if you are being defensive and playing each ball on its merit, then nothing much is happening. But there is little bit uneven bounce and the odd ball is either turning or keeping low."

“If they [Kiwi spinners] continuously bowl and do so with patience, then only they can trouble our batters. So we will also tell our batters to be more patient and wait for the bad balls to score runs,” the 27-year-old Axar said in response to a Sportskeeda query at the post-play press conference.

India lost Shubman Gill (1 off 3) in the second over before Mayank Agarwal (4* off 13) and Cheteshwar Pujara (9* off 14) saw India through the remaining four overs.

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“He had some 10 minutes to get ready” – Axar Patel showers praise on stand-in keeper KS Bharat

KS Bharat played 8 matches for RCB in IPL 2021 [Credits: IPL]

India today were jolted even before the start of play when wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha couldn’t take the field due to a stiff neck and KS Bharat was summoned. But the 28-year-old Andhra keeper displayed exceptional glovework on an up-and-down track as he effected three dismissals, including stumping a well-set Tom Latham for 95.

Axar Patel, who bowled 24 overs today, lauded Bharat for getting ready without having the time to mentally prepare and then putting in a telling performance.

“It’s not at all easy if you are in the 15 and all of a sudden you are asked to rush to the field. When Wriddhi bhai’s neck became stiff, he was practising at the ground, strolling in the morning, and then he had some 10 minutes to get ready. And to keep on these wickets is tough in itself, the way he was collecting, the way he was catching, the way he did that stumping, so I feel he will improve further with time,” Axar elaborated.

Rahul Dravid would now want India to get to at least 250, which should be enough to make a match out of. But more importantly, he would be staring at the middle-order to score big runs.