Delhi Capitals all-rounder Axar Patel gave a funny reply when he was asked why he’s not batting up the order despite his stunning form in the Indian Premier League 2023. The left-hander added that wherever he bats, he still ends up playing 10-12 overs. Notably, Axar was the top run-scorer for Delhi against Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday (April 11). Coming into bat at No. 7, he smashed 54 off only 25 with the aid of four fours and five sixes and helped DC post a competitive 172, batting first.

At a post-match press conference, he said: “I also thought about that, but then I realised that I am still batting 10-12 overs (laughs). Wherever I bat, up the order or No. 7, I am feeling the same, so I am not talking much about it. 10-12 overs are enough for me, the way I am batting.”

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He further added: “We have discussed this, but if you look at our batting order, domestic players can play spin well. If I bat higher in the order, the question arises as to who will do the finishing job. The captain and the coach, when they sit down to discuss strategy, they also think about what would happen if he (Axar) gets out early. So there are two ways to think about it.”

The left-hander, who has been in exceptional form with the willow lately, also scored 36 off 22 in the game against Gujarat Titans. While Axar Patel played a great knock to lift Delhi Capitals, he got out on the first ball of the penultimate over as well.

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“I would blame myself as well a bit. There were 10 balls left, so maybe I could have been a bit more watchful instead of going for the big shot. But, I was in good flow, so I thought if I could connect early, there would be more pressure on the bowler. It’s not easy for new batters to come in and hit the ball right away. Their (Mumbai’s) batters also struggled. It could have been a different game if we had 176-180 instead of 172,” Axar Patel concluded.