India’s all-rounder Axar Patel has revealed that he started his career as a fast bowler. However, Patel’s Under-16 coach told him to switch to spin bowling as he felt something is wrong with his biomechanics. 

Meanwhile, Axar Patel played an instrumental role in taking India to glory in the T20 World Cup 2024. Patel returned with impressive figures of 3-23 in his quota of four overs to help India skittle out England for a meagre score of 103 after the Men in Blue posted a par score of 171 runs on the board in the semi final clash.

The left-arm orthodox spinner accounted for England skipper Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, and Moeen Ali. The southpaw also scored a vital knock of 31-ball 47 in the all-important final against South Africa after India lost three quick wickets of Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav and added 72 runs with Virat Kohli.

“Sometimes I still fail to understand how I became a spin bowler. I was a fast bowler, and in U-16 my coach Sanjay Patel in Kheda said there is something wrong with my biomechanics and suggested I should turn to spin. I had zero interest in spin bowling. I was more interested in batting, but I used to get bored while fielding. So just to get those overs quickly, I started bowling spin and started taking wickets as well,” Axar Patel recalled in an interview with Indian Express.

Adding further, Patel gave credit to former Indian spinner Venkatapathy Raju for guiding him in the right direction and teaching him the nitty gritties of spin bowling.

“When I went to NCA, Venkatapathy Raju sir was there and he had more confidence in my bowling than I ever had. He is the one who has worked on my bowling and made me understand the nuances of spin bowling,” Axar said.

Axar Patel is part of both squads (ODIs and T20Is) for the Sri Lanka tour.