"You might fail as well" - Axar Patel opens up on how handling pressure has shaped his career

Axar Patel has experienced a remarkable surge in his cricketing career over the past year. The spin all-rounder, who played a pivotal role in India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, has continued to impress with his performance in the ongoing three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

In the three-match T20I series opener in Pallekele, the left-arm spinner finished with impressive figures of 2/38 in four overs to play a crucial role in the Indian Cricket Team’s 43-run win over the Sri Lanka Cricket Team on Saturday, July 27.

Axar Patel's game-changing over help India to take a 1-0 lead in the T20I series against Sri Lanka

However, Patel had a tough start, conceding 29 runs in his first three overs, but he made a game-changing impact in his fourth over. He got rid of Sri Lanka’s key batter Pathum Nissanka, who was batting at 79, and Kusal Perera, who was on 20 with his exceptional bowling efforts in Pallekele.

This crucial breakthrough contributed to a dramatic collapse in the Sri Lankan innings, from a strong position of 140/1 to being all out for 170 and eventually losing the game to Team India by 43 runs with the tourists taking a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match T20I series.

Well, after the match, Patel opened up about his growth as a cricketer, saying he has honed his skills through high-pressure situations in the past year, and it has now significantly contributed to his success.

The star spinner said that having the experience of playing in various match scenarios strengthened his ability to remain composed and focused, regardless of the outcome.

The T20 World Cup 2024 winner said that playing in high-pressure games has improved his confidence and performance on the field. Patel’s journey has been marked by a series of lessons learned from both successes and setbacks.

When I do well in high-pressure situations, my confidence grows: Axar Patel

His continuous engagement in high-presser matches has provided him with valuable insights, enabling him to refine his approach and maintain his composure under pressure. This blend of experience and confidence has been a driving force behind Axar’s success.

Axar Patel was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz: “When you continuously play cricket for India and when you do well in pressure situations, you get some confidence. And each time you get confidence, you always learn from it. It's not that you'll always do well in pressure situations and you might fail as well. But those situations teach you that I could have done things differently and that has taught me a lot in the last one year especially.”

Patel further noted, “So, when I do well in those situations, my confidence grows and when such situations arise again, I don't get bogged down nor do I think 'oh I need to do this, I need to do that.' I focus a lot more on my strengths and I think that is really helping me. When you keep doing well, your confidence keeps building. One month ago, I did well in the World Cup and I'm carrying that confidence too which is reaping its benefits.”