Team India all-rounder Axar Patel recently recalled a defining moment in his life and how it shaped his cricketing journey. Currently with the Men in Blue, who are playing a five-match T20I series in Australia, Axar shared a deeply personal story that motivated him to pursue cricket more seriously.
Axar revealed that his grandmother had passed away while he was playing a match. Her last wish was to see him on TV representing the Indian cricket team. Upon learning this, Axar made a firm commitment to make playing for the country his ultimate goal.
He recalled, “My grandmom passed away but I was playing a match so could not come home and my dad did not even tell me so that I could focus. When I came back after two days, he told me and cried a lot. He told me that she wanted to see me on TV and that was her last wish. I became very serious after that incident and decided that it would be my goal that I have to come on TV wearing the blue jersey. I told my dad that even if it is for just one day, I will come on TV wearing the blue jersey, and that day came in 2014. Both of us cried a lot that day when I got selected,” he said during a conversation with journalist Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel.
The defining moment came in 2014 when Axar made his debut for India in an ODI against Bangladesh at Mirpur. While he did not get to bat in the match, he bowled ten overs, returning figures of 1/59.
A year later, in 2015, Axar made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe at Harare. His Test debut came in 2021 against England in Chennai. Today, the star all-rounder plays across all three formats for the Indian team.
### Childhood Friend Shares Insights on Axar Patel
Axar’s childhood friend also opened up about the cricketer’s confidence from an early age. He revealed that Axar was nicknamed after Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya due to his batting style.
“Axar had the confidence right from when he became captain for the first time against Ahmedabad. He says that he is a bowler, but he is actually a batter. We have seen him score many runs in several matches. He would bat very well in school tournaments as well, so his school friends named him Jayasuriya and he would play like that too,” the friend said.
He also talked about Axar’s humble nature, saying that the all-rounder has remained simple and down to earth over the years. The 31-year-old prioritizes his friends and is always there for them whenever he can.
### Career Stats
Axar Patel has represented India in 14 Tests, 71 ODIs, and 82 T20Is so far. His career stats include:
– **Tests:** 646 runs and 55 wickets
– **ODIs:** 858 runs and 75 wickets
– **T20Is:** 637 runs and 79 wickets
Axar continues to be a vital player for Team India, contributing both with the bat and the ball across formats.
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