Vijay Patel, who has seen Axar Patel grow as a cricketer from his days in domestic cricket, has showered praise on the left-arm spinner, not just for his performance in the recent ODI against West Indies where he won the game for India from a difficult position, but also for the kind of personality Axar is.
When Axar represented his state side Gujarat for the first time in domestic cricket, it was Vijay Patel who was in charge of the Gujarat set-up in his capacity as head coach. Recently Vijay talked to the Times of India and he said that a lot has changed about Axar’s career since he represented Gujarat for the first time.
Axar is an Indian international cricketer now and has a lucrative IPL contract with Delhi Capitals, but one thing that hasn’t changed is his nature and the way he carries himself. According to Vijay, even now if Axar comes to his house, he would sit on the floor without minding his stature as a cricketing superstar.
Vijay said that he even tells Axar at times you are an international cricketer now, why are you sitting on the floor? But, fame just hasn’t changed him. The kind of character he is, he is not just a very useful option to have for a captain on the field, he is a wonderful guy to have in the dressing room as well, because of his light-hearted nature.
Axar Patel wasn’t the first choice pick in India’s XI for West Indies ODIs
Axar Patel wasn’t originally supposed to play the first two ODIs for India on the ongoing West Indies tour, but he eventually made his way into the XI, because India’s first choice spin bowling allrounder Ravindra Jadeja sustained a knee niggle and had to sit out.
With Jadeja not having fully recovered yet, Axar Patel might be in India’s playing XI for the third ODI as well, which will take place on Wednesday.
