Even Spinners And Lower-Order Players In Our Team Can Bat Really Well - Axar Patel Names India's 'Biggest Plus Point' For England Tour

India spinner Axar Patel opines that the batting depth in the side makes them a stronger outfit and capable to beat any team in the world. The Indian contingent will depart soon for the UK tour which comprises the World Test Championship final against New Zealand, followed by a 5-Test series against Joe Root’s side.

Runs from the lower-order or the tailenders are have often proven to be crucial, especially in low-scoring matches, and Axar Patel, who recently made a sparkling Test debut, reckons that India’s ‘biggest plus point’ is the presence of spinners who can contribute with the bat.

Apart from the two first-choice spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, both of whom have Test centuries and have proven their batting prowess, the other two back-up spinners in the squad, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, are adept with the bat in hand. Sundar has 3 fifties in 4 Tests, while Axar Patel has 13 fifties and a ton in 42 first-class games.

Even the Indian pacers in Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, and Umesh Yadav, are capable enough of hanging, and swinging their bats when the need arises.

“Now, even spinners and the lower-order players in our team can bat really well. If you have batting till No 8 or 9 in the line-up on English pitches, then you are capable of defeating any team. I think, that is the biggest plus point,” Axar Patel told India TV.

Our spin attack very well aware that how they should bowl in English conditions: Axar Patel

Talking about the conditions overseas, the left-arm spinner said that while the English conditions are more favourable to the pacers than the spinners, he believes, the Indian tweakers can do the job of containing runs, as well as, even with little assistance, can trouble the opposition batters.

“When we play in India, the spinners play an attacking role. And when you tour abroad, play in countries like England and Australia where spinners don’t get much assistance, having quality spinners in the side is always a plus point as they can chip in when your pacers need rest. They don’t let the opposition batsmen to score easily.

“The weather in England favours pace bowling and as a spinner, it’s important to understand your role and how you would bowl in such conditions. The kind of spin attack we have, it’s very well aware that how they should bowl as per the circumstances.

“Should they step up on getting assistance from the pitch or how can they control the batsmen when the conditions are favouring the pacers. So, all these calculations are very important and we spinners have the same thought process,” Axar Patel, who took 27 wickets in his debut Test series, asserted.

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