David Warner most likely wants to be where Axar Patel is.
Not because he can show up after losing four games in a row and still find a way to make fun of his teammates’ shortcomings, his captain’s troubles, and the squad as a whole. However, he can swing the bat, make contact, and score boundaries.
Axar and Warner’s 67-run partnership in just 6.2 overs on Tuesday (April 11) against the Mumbai Indians rejuvenated Delhi Capitals’ innings and helped them reach a respectable total. This was evidence of their divergent styles.
Warner wasn’t actively attempting to delve further. He swiped, swung, and occasionally even slogged. But either he couldn’t make a clean contact or a fielder would chop it off. His first of five boundaries was a contemptuous rip-off of Arshad Khan. He hit two more boundaries in the following over, the first of which was more indicative of how the innings would turn out because Tim David was only tempted into the boundary line by his poorly-timed slog against Cameron Green.
Players from both teams acknowledged that the conditions weren’t ideal for batting, particularly for batters coming in. Both teams’ openers got off to quick starts, giving the tough middle of the inning some early protection. But as the innings went on, Warner’s difficulties only became worse. From the 14th to the 19th over, when Delhi Capitals were trying to pick up speed thanks to a strong sixth-wicket stand, he faced 10 deliveries and scored only five runs.
It’s a fight that Axar cannot understand. Axar stated, “No one has asked him (to anchor the innings). Even in the last couple of games, he hasn’t been successful with his attempts to hit. As a batter, I’m unsure about his current state of mind. When Prithvi is batting, he must anchor, but once that is done, it is not a good idea to keep attacking when wickets are falling in front of him. Even with his best efforts, he cannot pull it off. Dada, Shane Watson, Ricky (Ponting), and everyone else spoke to him. (Sourav Ganguly). The subject of his strike rate was also brought up. They watched his videos, and he is currently working on it.
While his skipper needed 43 deliveries to reach his half-century and only offered his partner a half-look first-bump in joy, Axar raced to the same score—his first IPL fifty—in just 22 deliveries with the help of four boundaries and five sixes.
Axar was a pitcher when he was a teenager who switched to spinning during senior cricket. He is now an all-around bowler. While he hasn’t been as effective with the ball in recent months, he has still been able to alter the outcome of several games. He attributes that to a change in perspective brought about by his Indian teammates.
“Playing all three formats for India makes you feel more confident. Senior athletes like Rohit and Virat Bhai. Hardik gave me some advice on how to adopt the proper mindset. When you score 20–30 runs as an all-rounder, you start to believe you can take large risks. To dominate the game and win it, I modified that way of thinking. I focused on developing these shifts in perspective. I gained confidence after the Sri Lanka series when I scored runs, and that confidence has since been carried over.
There have been discussions about moving the all-rounder up the lineup due to his recent three-game winning streak and the troubles of the other batters, who are either scoring too little or too slowly. He was called in to bat at No. 7 though, by the time the side had been reduced to 98 for 5 in the 13th over, probably to maintain the left-right combination.
He isn’t too concerned, though.
We were considering moving me up the batting order, but I always end up getting to bat for 10 to 12 overs, he joked. “Therefore, it makes no difference, and I’m not whining. 10 to 12 overs will do for me, even if I start at No. 4. Seriously, we’ve already had that conversation. The local athletes are skilled spinners as well. One can wonder, “Who will finish strongly if I place too high in the order?”
The fact that Axar has been given the responsibility for both scoring runs and concluding the innings is evidence of the Delhi Capitals’ current difficulties. Their only consolation now, after being outplayed in the previous three games, is that they were able to force the game to the final ball, which, in Axar’s opinion, makes it even more agonizing.
They had some areas they wanted to work on, with powerplay batting being the main one. DC was able to achieve the 50 for 1 score that batting coach Pravin Amre had set as a goal. The Delhi Capitals lost, and in the end, it was simply another tale of a Warner fifty.
Axar is in a different place than the team owner and head coach, who have both expressed their concerns. In contrast to others, he can currently perceive the advantages.
There are two ways to approach the situation after four defeats, he said: “One is to sit back and think that you’ve lost four games, the run rate is bad, qualification is on the line, there is nothing good that’s going to come out of it.” On the other hand, if you have a positive outlook and plan your strategy for the upcoming game, you will be able to give the performance you desire. Maintaining a positive outlook is crucial, and that is what we frequently stress.
Warner and the Delhi Capitals would definitely prefer to be where Axar is.
