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The pressure was on for India in the high-stakes T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa on June 29. After losing three crucial wickets early on, including captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Suryakumar Yadav, India found themselves at a shaky 34/3 within just 4.3 overs. In this tense situation, head coach Rahul Dravid made a surprising yet strategic call. Axar Patel, typically an all-rounder known more for his bowling, was promoted up the batting order ahead of established batsmen like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and even Ravindra Jadeja. This unexpected move by Dravid would later be referred to as a ‘masterstroke’ by Axar Patel himself.
Rahul Dravid's bold decision to send Axar Patel up the batting order proved to be a game-changer for India. This tactical shift not only brought stability to the innings after the early loss of wickets, but also injected much-needed momentum. Axar's aggressive knock of 47 runs off just 31 balls was instrumental in India's recovery. His crucial partnership of 72 runs with Virat Kohli (76) took India from a precarious 34/3 to a respectable total of 176/7. This masterstroke by Dravid surprised even Axar himself. In a post-match interview with Star Sports broadcaster Dinesh Karthik, Axar admitted he hadn't expected to bat so high in the order during the high-pressure final. However, he rose to the occasion, justifying Dravid's faith and playing a pivotal role in India's journey to victory.
Axar Patel reveals how Dravid's acumen scripted India's win in T20 World Cup final
“I thought I would be going down the order. But when we lost three wickets early, suddenly Rahul Bhai told me, 'Axar, pad up.' I did not even get the chance to think about my batting, so that worked for me,” Axar Patel told Dinesh Karthik on Star Sports.
Axar Patel's promotion in the batting order wasn't entirely out of the blue. His consistent performances with the bat for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL over the past few seasons, averaging over 200 runs each year for the last three years, likely played a role in Dravid's decision. This promotion proved to be a successful gamble, as Patel justified the coach's faith by playing a crucial knock. Overall, Patel was a valuable asset for India throughout the T20 World Cup 2024. He not only impressed with his batting in the final, but also chipped in with 9 wickets throughout the tournament. Unsurprisingly, he expressed immense pride in contributing to India's World Cup victory.
“This time, I felt that I had to do something good for India. Finally, I did it. I'm feeling so proud,” Axar concluded.
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