India’s cricket is in transition. Shubman Gill will lead an ODI side for the first time against Australia and all-rounder Axar Patel would be glad star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are around. The same trio who bonded well with each other during India’s training sessions at the Optus Stadium showed there was no loosening the exchange on-field.
Shubman Gill, who had been the Test captain and made a record 754 runs in a series of matches against England, is now assuming the role of the ODI captain. Though they have not played regular international cricket, Kohli and Rohit seemed match-ready, giving Gill a conducive environment to learn and lead. Axar highlighted that the partnership of youth and experience works for Gill as well as the team as a whole.
“This is a great experience for Shubman too. Rohit bhai and Virat bhai and everyone is here, this is part of the transition process. You have older players, and if the young players come with their experience, then they can learn from the seniors and understand how to play at this level, what they can do and what they can’t do. It’s perfect that Rohit bhai and Virat bhai are here and Shubman is doing the captaincy. It will help in Shubman’s growth as a captain,” left-arm spinning allrounder Axar Patel told reporters in Perth.
Axar Patel expresses confidence ahead of AUS vs IND 2025 series
The 31-year-old further claimed that the two batting legends have arrived prepared for the series and are eager to take on the Australian challenge.
“It’s good if young and experienced play together. If you look at their form, the way the two of them have prepared – they trained at the BCCI Centre of Excellence and also played practice games – I think they are ready performance-wise. They look in good touch in the training sessions. And if you talk about their physical fitness, of course, everyone has passed their fitness tests. I think they are ready to go.”
Axar Patel
This series will also offer Axar a chance to stake his claim as an all-rounder — especially with Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja out of the mix. Batting at No. 5, Axar who will be tonking for fun in both the departments is happy that he has autonomy in both areas of concerns and feels that he can deliver for India.
“I am very confident about this series. In the Asia Cup, I did well with bat and ball. I am ready for the challenge. If you look at my growth – I came here in 2015 for the first time during the World Cup – I have been with the Indian team regularly in recent years. I know what I have to do. The team relies on me now – ‘it’s Axar, he can get us the results’. If you perform continuously, you get the confidence too. I am more confident now and I know and I can do my bit to win games for my team.”
Axar Patel
