Australia legend in awe of Axar Patel’s talent, orders Shivam Dube to improve

Australia National Cricket Team World Cup-winning captain Aaron Finch was mighty impressed with the performance delivered by India National Cricket Team all-rounder Axar Patel in the fourth T20I.

Aaron Finch also urged the India pace-bowling all-rounder Shivam Dube to make a small improvement in his game to avoid the tag of a one-dimensional player given to him.

He’s somebody who strikes a ball so cleanly - Aaron Finch

Axar Patel delivered an amazing performance in the fourth T20I of the five-match series against the Australia National Cricket Team at the Gold Coast Stadium (Carrara), Gold Coast.

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He was sent to bat at No.8 by the team management after India lost some quick wickets, and the all-rounder responded by playing a quickfire innings.

He blasted 21* runs off just 11 deliveries, and his innings was studded with one four and one six. On the back of his heroics, India managed to post 167/8, which turned out to be a winning total.

With the ball as well, Axar Patel looked sensational, and in his 4 overs, he gave just 20 runs while dismissing Matt Short and Josh Inglis.

He was named Player of the Match for his all-round show, and speaking after the game, Aaron Finch showered rich praise on him.

“He’s somebody who strikes a ball so cleanly, and he gave India a real injection right at the backend of the innings,” Finch told JioHotstar.

Then when he gets the ball in hand, he’s a wizard at times - Aaron Finch

Aaron Finch said that Axar Patel is a wizard at times with the ball in hand, and when he gets some help from the surface, he can run through any opposition. He said:

“It looked at one stage that they might only get around that 152-153 mark. But then a couple of big blows in the last over off Marcus Stoinis.. just proved the package that he is.

"Then when he gets the ball in hand, he’s a wizard at times. Particularly on surfaces like this, that might offer a fraction of hold at times, but also can skid through. So uses all of his tricks, all of his skills, if you combine that with his fielding, he is a serious package in international cricket. It was a wonderful performance today, richly deserved player of the match.”

I’ll just love to see him just change his mindset slightly with bat in hand - Aaron Finch

Although Aaron Finch is totally amazed by Axar Patel, such is not the case with Shivam Dube. Finch feels that Shivam Dube has built a reputation of being a spin-basher, which he needs to change and adopt a similar attacking approach against the pacers.

“I’ll just love to see him just change his mindset slightly with bat in hand. I think at times he’s expected to walk out and try and dominate spin. I would love at times to see him take on the quicks as well. You don’t want to become known as just a one-dimensional player with bat en hand. So, for that point of view, just take it on a little bit more,” Finch explained.

“He’s got all the power. He can hit the ball so far, and we’ve seen him start to do it on smaller grounds in the IPL playing in Chennai. He takes on the short ball early. But I’d love to see him do it here as well, and say, ‘You know what, you over pitch, I’m gonna tell you I’m gonna have the confidence to take your downtown with the bat in hand as well.’

Also Read: "You don’t associate with today’s T20 cricket": Nathan Ellis, Shivam Dube’s blunt remarks on Shubman Gill’s slow 46