Why is Axar Patel's interaction with Ravi Shastri very brief?

Indian left-arm spinner Axar Patel has revealed that he does not talk much with the head coach of the team Ravi Shastri about his bowling. The youngster is part of the team for quite some time now and is known to hold the runs from one end with his wily bowling. He bowled a brilliant spell in the first T20I against New Zealand at Ferozshah Kotla in Delhi on Wednesday as India took the lead in the three-match series. However, Patel feels that his bowling action is quite different as compared to Shastri who was also a slow left-arm spinner.

Axar Patel has been the unsung hero for the Men in Blue in last few years. He has performed extremely well whenever he has been included in the team and has made the life difficult for the selectors. His canny bowling always keeps the batsmen on their toes and builds the pressure. Even on flat wickets, he doesn’t give many runs which leads to the wicket falling from the other end. Though he needs to continue performing well for the team in order to stay in contention to travel England for the World Cup in 2019.

He asks me to bowl stump to stump

Axar Patel has cleared that the coach understands his ability to bowl in different situations and does not suggest him too many changes in his bowling. “I do not talk to him (Ravi) too much as he knows my bowling style is quite different, as compared to him. He does not suggest too many changes. He says, you know you have come into the Indian team after having performed well, so just continue doing the same,” he told reporters on the eve of the second T20 International against the Kiwis in Rajkot.

He also said that Shastri always asks him to bowl stump to stump and talks about not taking pressure in different situation. “He also often talks about the need to know about how to bowl in different pressure situations. He does not give me major advices, but asks me to bowl stump to stump,” the 23-year-old added. Axar would love to continue the way he is bowling currently and become the vital cog in the Indian team.