Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting has revealed the role he played in helping Axar Patel develop into a damaging batter in the India line-up and paid tribute to the in-form all-rounder by suggesting a shift up the order in the Indian Premier League (IPL) – and at Test level – is on the cards.
Ponting has known the young India all-rounder for some time, with the two first meeting paths last decade when the duo was part of the winning Mumbai Indians squad that captured their first IPL title in 2013.
And while it is with the ball that Axar has had the biggest impact in his career, the 29-year-old has impressed recently as an attacking left-handed batter during the Border-Gavaskar Test series against Australia.
“If there was ever a weakness in his game, it was the short ball that was sort of directed at his body. The reason that he was a bit weak in that area was he was too side-on, and the ball was always sort of in behind his right shoulder,” Ponting noted.
“I want to get a bit more out of him at the Delhi Capitals this year, that’s for sure. A few times last year we sort of batted him up a little bit higher. I think he’s good enough to bat No.6 probably in an IPL team,” Ponting said.