Axar Patel on Suryakumar’s Captaincy & Coach Gambhir’s Plans!

Axar Patel has spoken about the recent appointment of Suryakumar Yadav as India’s new T20I captain, praising his leadership style and revealing his plans to discuss his role with the new head coach, Gautam Gambhir.

In a recent interview, Axar Patel described Suryakumar Yadav as a “bowler’s captain” who keeps the dressing room atmosphere light and enjoyable. “I have spent a lot of time with Suryakumar. Surya bhai is a happy-go-lucky guy. He keeps the atmosphere lively, loves doing mimicry and such fun stuff. I know he will keep the atmosphere cool,” Patel said.

Patel’s comments underline the positive feedback Yadav has received from his peers, which played a significant role in his selection as the captain. Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar noted that player feedback was crucial in making the decision. “The one we know has been around the dressing room over the last one year, you get feedback from the dressing room a lot. He has got a good cricketing brain and he is still one of the best T20 batters in the world,” Agarkar mentioned during a press conference in Mumbai.

Patel also reflected on Yadav’s approach to captaincy during a five-match T20I series against Australia last year, where Yadav was the stand-in captain. “I recently played a five-game T20I series when he was the captain. I know he is a bowler’s captain. He gives the bowlers the fields they ask for. And it was like that with me, too,” Patel said. He expressed confidence that Yadav’s leadership style would remain consistent, although he acknowledged that a fuller understanding of Yadav’s captaincy would develop over time.

With the Indian team undergoing a transition phase in T20Is, following the retirement of senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja, Yadav was chosen for his strong performance in the format. Hardik Pandya, the frontrunner for the captaincy, was deemed less reliable due to fitness concerns, making Yadav an evident choice, according to Agarkar.

As the Indian team heads to Sri Lanka for their next series, Axar Patel will also seek clarity on his role under the new head coach, Gautam Gambhir. Patel mentioned, “With Gautam bhai, yes, we will go to Sri Lanka, there will be meetings, we will exchange a few thoughts and after that I will get to know exactly what my role is and what he thinks. I will get more clarity on that only after that.”

Gambhir, who replaces Rahul Dravid as the head coach, will start his tenure with the Sri Lanka series. Patel’s discussion with Gambhir is expected to provide further insights into his future role within the team.

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