"Mindset is the key, and you cannot be too conscious" - Axar Patel

Team India left-arm spinner Axar Patel has said that he is not thinking about trying to seal his place in the T20 World Cup squad as of now. According to him, having such thoughts would be premature as the marquee event is still a few months away as well. However, the all-rounder did well for India with the ball in the first T20I against Afghanistan in Mohali on Thursday, January 11. He registered figures of 2/23 in four overs as Afghanistan posted 158/5.

Speaking at a post-match conference after India’s six-wicket victory in Mohali, Axar said that he is not looking too far ahead when he was asked about the competition for spots keeping the T20 World Cup in mind as well.

“There is competition, but it depends on how you take it. It is important to focus on the process. You can’t think about the T20 World Cup from now since there are five Tests against England, followed by the IPL. So, there’s some time left for the T20 World Cup,” Axar was quoted as saying by The Sportstar.

Two wickets in quick succession for #TeamIndia 😎@akshar2026 🤝 Shivam Dube

Afghanistan lose both the openers.

Follow the Match ▶️ https://t.co/BkCq71Zm6G#INDvAFG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/YzgqlOiRHX

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 11, 2024

However, after the series against Afghanistan, India will play five Tests against England, which will be followed by the IPL as well. When he was asked about handling the workload, he stated that having the right mindset is important. 

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“Playing continuously has its challenges, but we do get breaks. Mindset is the key, and you cannot be too conscious,” he said.

Axar Patel claimed the wickets of Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Rahmat Shah in the first T20I whereas pacer Mukesh Kumar also chipped in with 2/33 as well. He also spoke about his impressive performance in the Mohali T20I. Axar Patel added that he did not get much assistance from the surface and also admitted that the cold conditions made it tough but sticking to his basics with the ball helped him as well.

“There was no help from the pitch, the weather was also very harsh. My aim was to stick to my strength and wait for the batters to go after me. I bowled a tight line and got the wickets as the batters took a chance. As a bowler, you can’t do much on this pitch,” Axar Patel concluded.