'God had different plans for me, He wanted me to be part of a World Cup-winning side'

Bowling in the PowerPlay and death overs, batting at No. 4, sometimes within the first six overs, and taking stunning catches on the boundary line - Axar Patel (30) did it all in the recent World Cup. He was an impact player in every sense of the word in India's successful campaign, providing crucial and timely breakthroughs with his left-arm spin and scoring vital runs with his power hits for Rohit Sharma's side. Cricbuzz pushed him to relive some of the seminal moments of the World Cup, which concluded just over a fortnight ago on a gloomy evening in Barbados. Excerpts from an exclusive interview.

Has that winning feeling sunk in, or is the euphoria still lingering?

The feeling continues to linger, and I believe it will stay until the next match. It's a lifetime emotion. There will be another World Cup, and we may win that too, but nothing can match this sense of high. We won the World Cup after 13 years. I watched the 2011 final as a spectator. Winning this World Cup as a player is an incomparable emotion and hard to explain. There are happy vibes all around, and it feels great to be part of a champion side. It gives a sense of pleasure and fulfilment knowing that you have given something to the country and the fans.

Can you recall those final moments?

It all started in the final over (19.5) when Kagiso Rabada got out. We knew we had won the match. At that moment, I wasn't thinking about anything else. When Hardik Pandya ran in to bowl, we began celebrating. I remember running straight to Rohit Sharma, who was on the ground, and we started hugging each other. After that, everything felt surreal; we were high on emotions. During my live interview, I was so overwhelmed that I didn't realize what I was saying as we jumped around. Dinesh Karthik asked me some questions, and I had no idea what I told him. When I watched that interview later, it was like 'hey what did I blabber there'. I was speaking in a daze. We were on a different planet.

You missed the 2023 World Cup due to an injury and seven months on, you are a World Cup winner. How do you look back at those times?

When the T20 World Cup was in Dubai in 2021, Hardik Pandya was injured, and Shardul Thakur stepped in. Before the 2023 World Cup, I got injured and was out of the squad. R Ashwin took my place. After winning the World Cup in the West Indies, I realized I had been too hard on myself for asking that existential question of why it always seemed to happen to me. Evidently God had different plans for me. He wanted me to be part of a World Cup-winning side.

Yes, those seven months between the 2023 World Cup and now were very hard, but I learned to focus on what I could control and work on getting better. I concentrated on my rehab and my skills. During the IPL and just before the team selection, I was asked about my World Cup chances. My reply was that I focused on one day at a time and wasn't thinking about the World Cup. That approach has worked for me. Now here we are as world champions.

What was the communication by the team with regards to your batting position? You were used as a floater.

Against Pakistan I was sent up the order. Before the match, I was told that I may have to bat early if there are early wickets. At that time I was nervous. In the nets I did not practise with the new ball and suddenly I was having to play in PowerPlay. My IPL experience came in handy and it made me feel positive. For Delhi Capitals I batted a few times in the PowerPlay overs and played a few crucial knocks too.

That helped me understand what to do in those situations. I had to be positive and not worry about who would be bowling to me. I was not trying to over think. And I knew that I had the game to play according to the situation. I just wanted to stay in the present. That worked for me against Pakistan.

Tell us about your knock in the final - what were your thoughts going in, and what conversations did you have with Virat Kohli during that partnership?

Rohit bhai was standing beside me when Rishabh Pant got out. He told me 'Axar pads pehen le'. After that (Yuzvendra) Chahal came running to tell me that Rahul (Dravid) Bhai wants me to pad up. When I was padding up I did not know what to do. We were two wickets down and I had still not analysed the pitch. Next I saw Suryakumar (Yadav) also got out. Things happened so suddenly that I did not have time to think. When I was going down the staircase, Hardik told me in Gujarati not to take any stress. 'Just watch the ball and hit the ball,' he said and it stuck with me. I hit a boundary off the first ball I faced. I became very confident. I spoke to Virat bhai and he kept guiding me. He said, 'I'm there. If you think that you can hit, then go for it (Axar scored a crucial 47 and added 72 runs with Kohli for the fourth wicket).' The constant communication was helpful. The rest is history.

Was it not difficult to manage the expectations from your batting - be it against Pakistan or South Africa?

I feel that high-pressure situations suit me; maybe they align with my personality. When I'm sent in under pressure, I think I handle myself well. Such situations seem to bring out the best in me. If you look at my career over the past year and a half, I've performed well in all the pressure situations. I've bowled in the PowerPlay and secured breakthroughs, whether in the World Cup or bilateral games. Two years ago, I played an innings against the West Indies where we needed about 100 runs in 10 overs, and I finished the match. After the World Cup last year, we played five T20Is against Australia, and I batted ahead of most players and also broke partnerships.

It's all about mindset. When there is pressure, I don't get fazed. I stay calm, think about the game, and handle myself accordingly. The key is staying in the present. It's not easy, but I focus on the immediate task at hand: which bowler I'm facing and what the situation demands. I don't get double-minded.

With the ball, your timely breakthroughs were critical for India right through. How difficult was it to adapt to new conditions in the USA and then to different ones in the West Indies?

In the USA, conditions weren't favorable for spinners; they were seam-friendly. So, I had to push the ball very hard. Floating the ball in the air was out of question. I had to be very accurate, bowling stump to stump, which is also my strength. The wind was a crucial factor, both in the US and the West Indies. I had to be aware of where I could bowl and where to release the ball, varying my bowling depending on whether I was bowling with or against the wind. I planned accordingly.

In the US, my task was clear - I couldn't bowl up, so I had to focus on one particular area: the good length area. I had to push hard around a speed of 98-99 kmph. The ground size was decent, which helped. I could push the ball, and if they played a very good shot, so be it; I wouldn't mind.

In the West Indies, the wickets were very slow, with low bounce on some grounds. The conditions varied from venue to venue. In the game against Australia in St. Lucia, the wicket was good, and one side was windy, so most of the runs came from that side. I bowled according to my plan and the batsmen. In the PowerPlay, I had to be very consistent with my line and length. After the field restrictions were over, I would start varying my pace.

When we played against England (in the semifinal), I knew the ball was going to do something. Their part-time bowlers were hard for our batsmen to hit. I realized that if we bowled in good areas, they wouldn't be able to hit us either. We didn't have to do much because it was a tricky pitch. The batsmen couldn't hit on the rise. I didn't need to change my bowling; I just focused on good areas. I got rewards from the first ball, and there was no stopping us.

Teams spoke about using the wind in the West Indies grounds to their advantage, how did it affect a spin bowler like you?

I had to be very accurate, which is difficult to adjust to. The batsmen knew the wind direction and would target that side. Even if they didn't hit the ball cleanly, it would still sail over the fence. I had to switch my mindset when bowling with the wind, accepting that whatever happens happens. If the batsmen came at me, it was fine. My focus had to be on where to bowl and executing the plans we made.

What spell or dismissal of yours was your favorite from the World Cup, and why?

It's a very difficult question. My personal favourite was the first wicket against England in the semifinal, getting Jos Buttler out. The second was clean bowling Jonny Bairstow, and the third was dismissing Marcus Stoinis against Australia. The Buttler wicket stands out for me because of what happened in the 2022 World Cup. I was there when they chased our score without losing a wicket. That memory was on my mind, and I was determined to do well for the team, no matter what. I bowled my first over in the PowerPlay, taking out Buttler, and then I clean bowled Bairstow with an arm ball in my second over of PowerPlay. He failed to read my delivery and missed it.

That catch on the boundary line off Mitch Marsh in the Australian game - did it just stick, or was it a reward for taking hundreds of such catches during practise?

I'm not saying it's all my effort. There was definitely a touch of luck involved too. Of course, we practise such catches regularly. We do a lot of drills for boundary line catches, and our fielding coach always emphasized practising difficult catches. But it's not guaranteed that every catch you practise in the nets will stick in a match. As I mentioned earlier, the wind was a factor too.

I was positioned inside the boundary line because Mitchell Marsh was trying to sweep the ball. I anticipated a possible top edge, so I adjusted my position a few steps inside so that I could run and take the edge.

But when he hit the ball, I initially thought it would come straight to me, and I could catch it with both hands. However, the ball was flying fast and was affected by the wind. In a split second, I realized it was drifting to my right side, and I had to adjust to taking it with one hand. I jumped, and fortunately, the timing of my jump was perfect. The ball hit my palm hard, and that's when I knew I had managed to hold onto it.

While a lot of practice contributed to that catch, luck also played a part. No matter how much you practise, catches like that require a bit of luck because they happen so quickly. The decision-making in such moments needs to be fast and accurate. Practice helped me time my jump correctly, but ultimately, luck was on my side too.

Fluently hitting, bowling tight overs, and taking one-handed catches - how much has your background in tennis ball cricket shaped you as a cricketer?

You could say that. Playing tennis ball cricket had an impact on my hitting ability because in that format, you can hit almost every ball for a six or a four, especially in short 10-12 over games. It also influenced my shot selection. Initially, I would predominantly hit the ball to the leg side. However, when I transitioned to season ball cricket, I realized the importance of playing with the swing and not just slogging every ball. I worked on expanding my hitting areas, focusing on playing straight and avoiding cross-batted shots.

Tennis ball cricket also taught me how to handle pressure. Growing up, I often found myself in pressure situations, which made me more stable and stronger mentally. I learned to stay calm and think positively, which has been invaluable in my career.

Three left-arm bowlers in an eleven is unheard of. Were Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and you assigned specific roles?

I was clear about my role, knowing that I had to bowl in the PowerPlay. They made it clear that I could be called upon to bowl at any point in the innings, so I needed to be prepared for all situations. I bowled in the PowerPlay, as well as in the 14th, 15th, or 16th overs, and sometimes even in the middle overs for a couple of overs. My role was typically to bowl one over in the PowerPlay and one at the end, and I practised accordingly. I focused on what to bowl in the PowerPlay, planning my deliveries based on the specific batsmen.

Bowling in the PowerPlay was something I was used to in the IPL, though as a spinner, it's challenging with only two fielders allowed outside the ring. If you approach it with that mindset, it can be difficult to control the batsmen if they attack you. However, at the same time, you have to be brave and maintain a positive mindset. When bowling in the PowerPlay, you have to be courageous.

What new tricks, variations do you wish to add to your bowling armour?

I've thought a lot about innovations, both in bowling and batting. I've experimented with shots like the lap shot during practice and tried carrom ball too. However, in high pressure situations, I simplify things by asking myself a critical question: 'If I had to bowl one ball in this pressure moment, what should it be?' I found my answer: 'I need to rely on my best deliveries, the ones I excel at.'

If I introduce too many new variations and they don't work, I end up returning to pressure situations relying on my strengths. So, why complicate things? Having too many variations can lead to confusion. I've tested these strategies in different matches, including in India A games, and I've concluded that there's no need to overcomplicate matters. It's best to stick to your strengths, keep it simple, and focus on mastering the basics.

You are essentially an all-format player. Have you set any goals for yourself?

Not exactly! It's because of what happened in the past. When you're playing for India, you might think, 'Now what's next?' Then you might set your sights on playing in the World Cup. Once you're selected for the World Cup, the goal shifts to winning it. Personally, I don't set specific goals. Expecting too much from yourself and not achieving it can lead to disappointment and setbacks. My personality is such that I focus on the present. I think about what's immediately ahead of me and prepare accordingly. Tomorrow is unpredictable, and thinking too far ahead can be counterproductive. Therefore, I find it better to plan for the short term rather than focus on long-term goals.

Talk about the captaincy of Rohit Sharma and how you plan as a captain-bowler partnership for various games and situations?

Rohit Sharma is a brilliant captain. If you observed his captaincy during the World Cup, you wouldn't find a set formula. In some games, I bowled two overs in the PowerPlay, while in others, Jasprit Bumrah bowled early. There wasn't a specific pattern. Similarly, in batting, I didn't always move up the order. In the final, Shivam Dube batted ahead of Hardik Pandya. It was all very tactical, showcasing his ability to think strategically in different situations, determining which player would perform best.

I believe Rohit had done his homework. Throughout the World Cup, he brought out the best in each player. For instance, in the England game, he sent Ravindra Jadeja ahead of me and Dube, displaying an incredible presence of mind. Even in the final, Bumrah completed his overs by the 18th over (normally he bowls the 19th over). There were numerous such instances where his skill in rotating bowlers effectively contributed to the result. It's something that comes with experience I guess. He understands each player's strengths and utilizes them according to the game's demands. Winning five IPL titles isn't coincidental.

Regarding the captain-bowler equation, it's typically decided during team meetings. I was informed where I would bowl and the field placements outside the ring. If Rohit had a different idea in a particular situation, he would discuss it with me. For example, in the practice game against Bangladesh in New York, he suggested adjusting the field based on the batsmen's tendencies to sweep. I ended up conceding only seven runs (10) in that game. He provides suggestions but ultimately leaves it to the bowler. He encourages us to stick with what works best for us without over thinking.

In the final, when Heinrich Klaasen was aggressive against me, Rohit approached me and reassured me, saying, 'It's alright. You bowled your best. If he hits a good shot, there's not much you can do. Just focus on the next ball.' His support and encouragement boosted my confidence. After I completed the over, he tapped my shoulder and said, 'Well done. Don't worry.' Such conversations from your captain lift you and keep you motivated on the field. Rohit excels in providing that kind of support.