Axar Patel applauded Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership and called him a “bowler’s captain” after Team India’s emphatic win over Sri Lanka in the 1st T20I match at the Pallekele Stadium on July 28, Sunday as well. In his first match as a full-time T20I captain, India won the match by 43 runs. He also led the team from the front with his match-winning performance of 58 runs from 26 balls as well.

“I played in the last Australia series with Surya bhai (as captain). I know that he is a bowlers’ captain. He gives you free hand (in a way) that you decide first,” Axar Patel said at the post-match press conference on Saturday. “Whenever you get hit, he comes and says that it was a good ball. He keeps giving you inputs. As a player, there is a good bond with him.”

Axar Patel also praised Suryakumar for giving that freedom to his bowlers and shared that he share a good bond with Yadav. The spin-bowling all-rounder also recalled the experience of playing under Suryakumar Yadav during the five-match T20I series last year, which India won 4-1  as well.

“As a captain, I have also played with him in the last five matches (against Australia) and when I was playing today, I didn’t feel much change. You get confidence if captain is backing you,” he added.

However, Axar Patel gave away plenty of runs in his 1st three overs, but he bounced back in the last over of his spell. When Sri Lanka were cruising in the chase of 214 runs, Axar Patel brought the crucial breakthrough to remove Nissanka. In the same over, he dismissed Kusal Perera too.

“In the first three overs when we were going for runs, he was telling me that we can do this or do that and how we can take a wicket. There is no problem if a four or six goes in it. As a bowler, you get confidence from that if the captain is backing you and telling you that you can do this,” Axar Patel concluded.