Enjoying my role as captain, says Axar Patel
New Delhi, Apr 17: Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel said that he is enjoying his leadership role following a thrilling Super Over win against Rajasthan Royals in their sixth IPL match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday.
The hosts posted 188/5 in 20 overs, courtesy of brilliant batting performances from Abhishek Porel (49 off 37), Tristan Stubbs (34* off 18), and skipper Axar Patel (34 off 14). In reply, Rajasthan Royals rode on half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana to come close to the target. However, pace sensation Mitchell Starc proved vital for Delhi Capitals, as the hosts emerged on top in the Super Over.
Addressing the media at the post-match press conference, Patel spoke at length on various topics, including the Super Over win, his captaincy style, form and more.
He said, "As a captain, I’m enjoying my role. I was doing all this for state cricket as well. I know what to do and what not to do. When you get the chance to run the team according to you, and if you get a chance to play the way you want to play cricket, that’s the best thing. I'm enjoying it on the field and off the field."
Asked about playing the Super Over, the captain jokingly added, "Aisi situation mein main hi kyun aage aajata hoon (Why do I always come forward in such situations?) But these are the situations that show the character of the team. It was very good for me as a captain to see my team perform like this and clinch a win in such a situation."
Lavishing praise on Starc for his bowling brilliance, Patel said, “Getting the reverse swing is one thing, but executing it is very important. He (Starc) was executing it really well under pressure. We already had discussions about the field placement during the team meetings. I just asked him to back himself."
"Today, when he came to bowl the 18th over, I thought that he was executing it correctly; he knew where to bowl. He is such a big player and a legend for Australia. He has a very clear mindset as to how he is going to execute his plans even in the death overs," the left-handed batter added.
Talking about his own batting form, the 31-year-old said, "I’ve been batting well for a year and a half. I bat according to what the team requires. In this match, we were maintaining that left-right combination, and that’s why I came out to bat a little late. It’s a team game, and as I said, I just do what the team needs."
With this terrific victory, the Axar Patel-led side has moved to the top spot of the points table with five wins and 10 points in six matches. They will now take on the Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
