Chennai Test: After R Ashwin, Axar Patel pitches it right to bamboozle English batsmen

Ashwin and Axar picked up eight wickets between themselves while Kuldeep Yadav bagged two.
India's Axar Patel appeals for a wicket during the Test match between India and England. (Photo | ANI)
India's Axar Patel appeals for a wicket during the Test match between India and England. (Photo | ANI)

CHENNAI: On a wearing track that was aiding spinners, technique, patience and shot selection were the three most important virtues English batsman needed to counter the threat posed by the Indian spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel. But that was not to be as the visitors caved in to pressure put by these tweakers and lost the second Test by a big margin of 317 runs with a day to spare at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.

Ashwin and Axar picked up eight wickets between themselves while Kuldeep Yadav bagged two. In fact, the pitch report on Day 4 suggested that Axar could get more purchase than Ashwin. With a five-for on his debut, the bowling all-rounder from Gujarat also lived up to the expectations of many former cricketers.

"The top (of the wicket) has basically gone, there are pebbles and dust everywhere. No wonder, Ashwin's hundred was a masterclass on how to play on such wickets There is plenty in this wicket for Axar to exploit as well. If the ball lands on those areas, it will spin and if it does land on harder areas, it's going to slide — that's how much difficult batting will be against him,'' observed Mark Butcher and Murali Kartik after inspecting the pitch.

It was Ashwin who was in his element on Tuesday morning as he accounted for Dan Lawrence and Ben Stokes. Axar took centre stage thereafter to bag five for 60 in his 21 overs.

Narendra Hirwani, former India spinner, lauded Axar for his good show. It may be recalled that Hirwani took 16 wickets against West Indies on his Test debut in Chennai in 1988. "Axar pitched in the right areas, kept it simple and bowled at the right speed to fox the English batsman. On a surface that is aiding spinners, he was spot on bowling with excellent control,'' complimented Hirwani.

Axar also admitted that bowling at right speed helped him. "The way the wicket is behaving, you know there is spin, but the spin is there only if you put some strength behind the ball. If you leave it like that or flight it too much, then there is not much turn from the pitch. The speed has to be high. Otherwise, the batsman will go back and have time to adjust. Speed is very important for a spinner on this pitch," observed Axar.

Former India wicketkeeper and noted coach Chandrakant Pandit also hailed the performance of Indian spinners. "Patience, technique and application were the need of the hour. The way the English batsmen played in the first innings was an indication that they were not going to last for two days and draw the game. At least Root or Stokes, their most experienced players, could have applied themselves and carried the game on to the fifth day. But that was not to be. Full marks to our spinners in particular Ashwin and Axar. It is a good beginning for Axar and I hope he gets more opportunities,'' said Pandit.

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