Akshar Patel delivered a stellar performance in the fourth T20I against Australia in Raipur on December 1 after being dropped from the Indian cricket team for the T20Is on the South Africa tour.

Akshar finished with stunning figures of 3/16 in his quota of 4 overs to help Team India record a 20-run win over Australia in the fourth match to clinch the ongoing five-match T20I series with a 3-1 lead at home. The fifth and final T20I is scheduled to be played in Bengaluru on December 3.

The Indian spinner is currently the second-leading wicket taker in the T20I series with five wickets, and he was happy with his efforts against Australia. He insisted that one poor day didn’t give him stress, reflecting on his expensive 19th over in the previous match, as he was just focusing on his game plan.  

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Akshar Patel said after the match: “Since the first game I had been bowling well, so one-odd over for runs doesn’t give me stress. I was thinking how to bowl with my strength, even if one match you go for runs, you stick to your strengths, stay strong mentally and bowl stump to stump. I had to execute my plans and there was no point in being scared over what if he hits me.”

Speaking about the fourth T20I match in Raipur, the spin all-rounder said: “The wicket I got today was off a slower ball relatively, you can’t get wickets only one way.”

Patel signed off by saying, “That’s what I was thinking about in the break; these minor changes make a difference and you know how things work only when you try them out in a match.”

Notably, Akshar was overlooked for both the Test and T20I series in South Africa, but he was named in the ODI squad for the upcoming tour.

(With The Indian Express inputs)