Axar Patel's Honest Admission After England Heroics: 'I Was Trying to Hit Too Hard in T20s'

Axar Patel could not have scripted a better return to One-Day Internationals. Making his first ODI appearance in nine months, the Gujarat all-rounder produced a Player of the Match performance to guide India to a six-wicket win over England in the series opener at Edgbaston on Monday (July 14).

Axar first starred with the ball, claiming four wickets as India bowled England out for 258 in 47.5 overs after the hosts had raced to 61 without loss. He then walked in during a potentially tricky chase and remained unbeaten on 57 off just 52 deliveries, sharing an unbroken 102-run partnership with Washington Sundar to seal a comfortable victory.

While the numbers alone underline his impact, the performance carried much greater significance for the 32-year-old. It was Axar's first ODI since October 2025, when he featured against Australia in Adelaide. He subsequently missed India's home ODI assignments against South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan before returning to the format in Birmingham.

Unlike his absence from the ODI side might suggest, Axar had been in encouraging batting form in the format before being sidelined. His final ODI innings before the break was a brisk 44 off 41 balls against Australia in Adelaide. Last year against England at home, he had scored 52 off 47 balls in Nagpur and followed it with an unbeaten 41 off 43 deliveries in Cuttack.

With his knock of 57* off 52 balls against the English, Axar further strengthening his credentials as a dependable lower middle-order batters. The innings at Edgbaston was built on composure rather than power. It contained five boundaries and a six, but more importantly, it demonstrated excellent game awareness as Axar resisted the temptation to force the pace despite England sensing an opportunity after India slipped to 160/4.

'One of the Best Performances of My Career'

Speaking to JioStar after receiving the Player of the Match award, Axar admitted the performance ranked among the finest of his ODI career, especially after India's disappointing T20I campaign in England. "I think this is one of the best performances I will write in my book," Axar said.

"The atmosphere was down after the T20 series. You reflect on yourself, what happened and what didn't happen. Then I was coming back to this format after almost a year, so it was a very important day for me."

The all-rounder revealed that the difficult T20I series forced him to reassess his batting approach. Axar looked a mere shadow of himself as the Men in Blue lost the series 4-0.

"I learnt that in T20 cricket I was trying to hit the ball too hard. When you do that, you lose your shape," he explained.

Timing Over Power

That reflection translated into a noticeably different approach during the chase at Edgbaston. Rather than looking for boundaries immediately, Axar focused on building a partnership with Washington Sundar after Shubman Gill retired hurt and England briefly threatened to claw their way back.

"Today I wasn't trying to hit hard. We had got a good start, so the idea was to build a partnership. I knew I had time."

"I was only concentrating on my timing. On wickets like these, you have to trust the bounce. Once you adjust to the bounce, batting becomes much easier."

Axar also dismissed suggestions that the ODI surface was vastly different from the wickets used during the T20I series.

"I didn't think there was much difference. The wickets were similar. The application is different because this is a 50-over game. You have more time."

According to Axar, spending time at the crease is the biggest challenge for any batter in English conditions.

"When a new batter comes in, it's difficult immediately because there is bounce and swing. Once you spend some time, understand the pace and trust the bounce, batting becomes much easier."

Confidence Returns With Senior Players

Axar also credited the return of India's senior players, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, for bringing calmness back into the dressing room after a difficult T20I series.

"Obviously, we have played with them for a long time. There is confidence because we know each other's roles."

"We have won many matches together and lost many as well. That understanding creates a good atmosphere. Everyone enjoys themselves and you can see that on the field."

India certainly looked like a settled unit at Edgbaston. Captain Shubman Gill anchored the chase with a fluent 80 before retiring hurt, while Axar Patel and Washington Sundar ensured there were no late hiccups with an unbeaten century partnership.

For Axar personally, however, the evening meant much more than another Player of the Match award. After nine months away from ODI cricket and a frustrating T20I series in England, the left-arm all-rounder returned with one of the finest all-round performances of his international career, proving that patience, timing and adaptability can be just as valuable as power.