India's star all-rounder Axar Patel burnt bright with the bat and during Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025-26 clash between Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. Axar Patel registered his maiden century in List A cricket to help Gujarat beat Andhra by seven runs. This milestone is particularly poignant as it comes a full 14 years after his debut in the format, proving that even a seasoned international star can still reach significant new heights.
Axar Patel tonks maiden List A hundred in Gujarat's win
Known primarily for his lethal left-arm spin and handy lower-order hitting, Axar’s performance on this occasion showcased a much deeper level of batting maturity. Tasked with anchoring the innings, he displayed remarkable composure after Gujarat suffered a disastrous start, collapsing to 29 for 3. Axar initially stabilized the situation through a 51-run stand with Jaymeet Patel before truly taking command of the game.
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The centerpiece of the innings was a massive 142-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Axar and Vishal Jayswal. Taking full responsibility as the senior batter, Axar balanced defensive solidity with calculated aggression to dismantle the Andhra attack. He eventually fell for a brilliant 130 off just 111 balls, an innings featuring nine boundaries and two sixes—setting the platform for Gujarat to post a formidable total of 318/9. In reply, Andhra did manage to put on a fight riding on CR Ganeshwar's 102 but to only go down to Gujarat by seven runs.
Prior to this breakthrough performance, Axar’s List A career was marked by a peculiar statistical quirk. Over the course of 170 matches, including 71 ODIs for India, he had managed to score 12 half-centuries but had never reached the elusive triple-figure mark, with his previous personal best being an unbeaten 98. This century, coming in his 171st appearance, finally erases that anomaly and highlights the 31-year-old’s continued evolution into a more complete all-rounder.
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Axar sets sights on T20 World Cup 2026
This milestone arrives at a crucial time in Axar's career, shortly after his appointment as vice-captain of India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Although he was absent from the recent ODI series against South Africa, his dominant form in the domestic circuit serves as a powerful reminder to the national selectors.