Following Team India’s triumph in the fifth Test match against England, head coach Rahul Dravid shared a nostalgic moment from the dressing room. Rahul Dravid praised Axar Patel’s batting skills while drawing comparisons to former Indian batter VVS Laxman.
The Indian team secured an innings and 64-run victory at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Saturday, March 9. The home team continued their dominance in home Test matches, securing the series victory by a margin of 4-1.
The Rohit Sharma-led team retained their top spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25. The Men in Blue secured victories in six out of nine matches in the ongoing cycle. They hold a points percentage of 68.51, boosting their chances of reaching another final.
Axar Patel Is A Lovely Player – Rahul Dravid
Speaking after the match, Rahul Dravid said that he and his assistant Vikram Rathore reminisced about VVS Laxman as they observed Axar Patel walking out to bat at No. 6 in the second Test in Visakhapatnam.
“When I watched Axar Patel walk out at No. 6 [in Visakhapatnam], I remember looking at Vikram [Rathour, batting coach] and thinking, geez man, VVS Laxman used to walk out in that position (laughs). I mean, with due respect to Axar – he’s a lovely guy, lovely player,” Dravid said.
Following the first Test loss, India faced challenges with the absence of key players Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul. Axar Patel was promoted in the batting order in the second match. The southpaw contributed with scores of 27 and 45 runs across the two innings.
VVS Laxman predominantly batted at No. 5 and No. 6 for the majority of his Test career. The right-handed batter scored 2760 runs in the No. 6 position at an impressive average of 50.18, including five centuries and 12 half-centuries.
It Was The Braver Option To Pick Kuldeep Yadav – Rahul Dravid
“But it was the braver option [to pick Kuldeep] and yes, we had to take a call there, and I’m really glad we were brave. We went with the braver option when we decided to back the fact that we knew we needed 20 wickets to win the series and trust our batsmen to do the job when required, and I think that’s paid off,” Dravid added.
Kuldeep Yadav was included in the playing XI in the second Test, replacing injured Ravindra Jadeja. Kuldeep made the most of the opportunity and bagged 19 wickets in four Tests at an average of 20.16. He was the second joint-highest wicket-taker for India in this series.
The left-arm spinner delivered his best performance during the fifth Test in Dharamshala. The 29-year-old took five wickets for 72 runs as England were bowled out for just 218 runs in the first innings. Kuldeep was named Player of the Match for his seven wickets.
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