Indian all-rounder Axar Patel delivered a stellar performance in the fourth T20 International against Australia, contributing both with bat and ball to guide India to a 48-run victory and an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series. Axar revealed that he learned from his past mistakes and ensured that the size of the boundary did not influence his shot selection this time.
Axar played a crucial cameo at the end of India’s innings, scoring an unbeaten 21 runs off just 11 balls, including one four and one six. His most impactful moment came in the final over, where he smashed Marcus Stoinis for a four and a six on consecutive deliveries, helping India reach a competitive total of 167 runs. With the ball, Axar was equally impressive, claiming two important wickets.
Axar’s Winning Mindset
After being named Player of the Match, Axar spoke to BCCI TV about his approach during the tense final moments of India’s innings.
I knew it was going to be tough because wickets were falling at regular intervals. The message from the dressing room was clear — I had to stay till the end since there were no recognized batters left after me,” Axar said.
The 31-year-old all-rounder further explained his mindset during the final over:
I decided to take some risks in the last over. The square boundaries were quite long, but I told myself that if I stayed in rhythm and watched the ball closely, I could still clear the boundary.
Learning from Past Mistakes
Reflecting on his growth as a finisher, Axar admitted that earlier in his career, he used to overthink the size of the boundaries, which affected his shot selection.
In the past, I used to think too much about the boundary size and avoided playing in certain directions. That made my shots premeditated, and I often made mistakes. This time, I focused on timing and placement instead of worrying about the size of the ground. That’s something I’ve learned from my past errors,” he said.
Series Decider Ahead
India’s victory in Gold Coast means the hosts now lead the five-match T20 series 2-1. The fifth and final T20 will be played in Brisbane on Saturday, where India will look to seal the series in style.
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