From MS Dhoni’s death stare to T20 World Cup heroics: Axar Patel’s fielding transformation

NEW DELHI: Axar Patel was caught off-guard as Virat Kohli suddenly interrupted his post-match interaction with Hardik Pandya after a 2021 pink-ball Test. "Baapu tari bowling kamal che (Your bowling is great)," said Kohli, leaving Hardik and Axar in splits.

The Gujarat all-rounder's bowling has dismanted the opposition on many instances. However, the attribute that especially stood out in the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final against England is Axar's fielding, as the 32-year-old cricketer pulled off one stunner after the other.

The Gujarat all-rounder accounted for three catches, especially grabbing the limelight for his excellent relay catch with Shivam Dube at the deep point boundary to send Will Jacks back to the pavilion.





Axar ran to his left, retaining composure despite being close to the rope, throwing the ball towards Shivam Dube astutely. The 32-year-old cricketer had earlier pulled off an excellent running catch with a full-length dive to dismiss Harry Brook, drawing comparisons to Kapil Dev's similar catch in the 1983 World Cup final.

England bore the full brunt of Axar's anger after being dropped for the match against South Africa, with many experts terming the all-rounder's catches as a bigger determinant than Jasprit Bumrah's spell in India's seven-run win.

"Axar's fielding sessions are always intense and he pushes others to maintain the same level. He is a natural fielder and very self-motivated, taking the initiative to practice from different positions on his own," said the Gujarat Ranji team's former head coach Hitesh Majumdar, during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.

Former India fielding coach R Sridhar has hailed Axar as someone who constantly pushes past his limits, maintaining curiosity and a learner's mentality. The all-rounder enjoys enhanced calmness due to experience across different situations and has also benefitted from visualisation techniques.

Keeping things simple while maintaining concise yet effective conversations have been a key attribute in Sridhar's interactions with the Gujarat cricketer.


MS Dhoni's death stare

The 32-year-old cricketer is one of the safest fielders in the world currently, drawing comparisons to Ravindra Jadeja. Interestingly, Axar once drew a 'death stare' from MS Dhoni as well as a look of frustration from Virat Kohli for his fielding during a September 2017 match against Australia in Bengaluru. The all-rounder reacted slowly while fielding at third man, with a lethargic return, allowing the Aussies to add two runs.

Despite being a natural athlete, Axar wasn't always a model professional, coming up with excuses to avoid gym training, which earned him the nickname of 'Oscar' from friends. The Gujarat cricketer also loved consuming junk which never reflected on his waistline. Former Team India Strength and Conditioning coach Soham Desai played a key role in propelling Axar to the next level, kickstarting a transformation process from 2018 which eventually came together around 2020-21.

"He was a very gifted and naturally fit athlete but lacked people who could help maximise his potential. Axar would somehow get injured every now and then with something or the other. There was a definite lack of structure which could propel long-term growth and excellence," said Desai.

"Growing up in Gujarat, Axar developed unhealthy eating habits, consuming items which don't help in becoming a sportsperson at all. There were certain adjustments made in meal timings, volume of consumption and avoiding the wrong food items," he added.


Reduction in injuries from 80% to 10%


The Strength and Conditioning coach further made certain alterations in Axar's training and preparation, designing a sustainable template. The all-rounder's injuries reduced drastically, from 70-80% to 5-10%, enabling him to put his best foot forward.


"Fitness definitely has a vital impact on aspects like fielding which have athletic demands. Even if you look at Axar's catches, it is anticipation as well putting the body in a position to pull off the catch," he shared.

"We identified certain movements in the gym or muscle groups which can cause injuries, prempting that and working towards building resilience and robustness. The focus was on developing enough resilience to withstand load under fatigue or pressure closer to 30 when the natural prowess goes down," added the Strength and Conditioning coach.


Desai hailed Axar's commitment levels, praising his mental strength in sticking to the process. The focus has constantly been on excellence and constant growth, following the tough path not taken by others. "The trophies and catches are simply a byproduct of the effort behind creating a foundation and fitness reserve which Axar never used to think about earlier," he stated.

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