‘Axar is filling Jadeja’s void well’: Gavaskar hails Patel’s ‘unbelievable’ fielding at Wankhede

NEW DELHI: India legend Sunil Gavaskar lavished praise on vice-captain Axar Patel for his breathtaking fielding display in India’s nerve-wracking T20 World Cup semifinal win over England at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. Gavaskar even compared Axar’s impact in the field to that of Ravindra Jadeja, saying the all-rounder has stepped up to fill the void left by one of India’s greatest fielders.

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India had earlier piled up a mammoth 253/7, powered by a blistering knock from Sanju Samson. England’s chase, however, threatened to derail India’s hopes as Jacob Bethell produced a sensational century to keep his side firmly in the contest.

But Axar’s brilliance in the field repeatedly halted England’s momentum.

The first moment of magic came early in the chase when Jasprit Bumrah deceived Harry Brook with a slower delivery. Brook miscued the shot high over cover, and Axar sprinted back nearly 24 metres before diving forward to complete a stunning catch inches above the turf.

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“Axar Patel’s catch to dismiss Harry Brook was unbelievable. Brook can take the game away and you have to grab every chance to get his wicket and Axar did that,” Gavaskar said while speaking on JioHotstar.

“He ran 24 meters away from his fielding spot, kept his eyes on the ball, balanced himself and took the catch. Unbelievable stuff.”

Axar wasn’t done yet. Later in the innings, when Will Jacks threatened to push England closer to the daunting target alongside Bethell, Axar produced another moment of brilliance.

Chasing a sliced shot toward deep point, he ran hard across the turf, grabbed the ball while losing balance near the boundary rope and cleverly relayed it to Shivam Dube, who completed the catch.

“He also played a key role in Will Jacks’ dismissal. The Bethell-Jacks partnership was taking the game away. But Axar ran to his left, grabbed the ball and smartly passed it to Shivam Dube,” Gavaskar added.

Gavaskar believes Axar’s rise as a complete cricketer mirrors the impact Jadeja once had for India.

“With his batting and bowling, Axar is going to be one of India’s great players. We had Ravindra Jadeja before him and Axar is filling that void well,” he said.