4th Test, Day 4: I am just carrying forward my confidence and batting really well, says Axar Patel

Ahmedabad: India’s left-arm spin all-rounder Axar Patel on Sunday said he is carrying forward the confidence, which is helping him bat really well in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia.

In day four’s play on Sunday, Axar scored a brisk 79, including four sixes and five fours, to help India secure a 91-run lead and also helped the hosts’ reach 571 through a brilliant 162-run partnership with Virat Kohli, who top-scored with a magnificent 186.

“The way I’m batting, I am happy to be contributing for the team. I am playing my game, backing my strengths. I am just carrying forward my confidence and batting really well,” he said to broadcasters at the end of day’s play.

Though Axar has picked only two wickets in the series, he has managed to be a handy contributor with the bat lower down the order. “The talk in the first Test was to carry forward the confidence.”

“The way I was helping the team win matches last year, that’s helping me and giving me more confidence. I am getting more information about my game, the strengths and weaknesses. I am punishing the bad balls and respecting the good deliveries,” he added.

Asked if he had a set role as an aggressor, he replied, “I had no set role as such. The idea was to play as long as possible. At first we were chasing their score. Once we went past, the talk was that if I get a bad ball, I would hit it as he (Virat) was tired and ball wasn’t doing much. I had it in my mind that the score has to be tall.”

Axar is now third-highest run-getter in the ongoing series, scoring 266 runs at an average of 88.00. He had hit crucial fifties in India’s victories in Nagpur and New Delhi, and was the only batter to be unbeaten in both innings for the hosts’ in Indore.

“Once a batter is set, there isn’t a lot in it for the bowlers. There are a few odd balls that stay low due to the footmarks, but once you get set, you get an idea of the wicket and it gets easier,” he concluded.

–IANS