IND vs AUS 4th T20I: Axar Patel Breaks Down Series-Winning Performance, Highlights 'Bowling Stump-to-Stump Was Key'

IND vs AUS 4th T20I: India secured an insurmountable lead against Australia, sealing the T20 series with a match in hand after a 20-run win in Raipur on Friday. Opting to bat in the series' penultimate clash, India set a target of 174-9, highlighted by impressive finish from Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma.

In the defence that followed, Axar Patel's brilliant spell of 3-16 dismantled Australia's batting order, restricting them to 154-7. Axar showcased an attacking mindset by bouncing back with a stellar performance less than 72 hours after facing a tough outing.

His outstanding figures of 3/16 in the fourth T20I played a pivotal role in India securing an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series against Australia.

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Axar's resilience was on display, especially after being hit for 22 runs in the penultimate over of the previous T20I in Guwahati, where India failed to defend 222.

"To stay attacking and be mentally strong is important as there is every chance to get hit in this format. When you go with an attitude to pick wickets, will feel much better," Axar said during the post-match presentation ceremony.

"I tried to stick to my strengths, and wasn't really bothered even if I had gotten hit, and bowling stump-to-stump was the key to negate the dew factor," Axar explained.

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The spinner's journey to the impactful performance included overcoming a hamstring injury that led to him missing out on the World Cup.

"During the (injury) break, I focused on improving myself and adding new variations to my bowling to remain successful at the highest level," Axar shared insights into his period of rehabilitation.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav also expressed his satisfaction with Axar's exceptional performance, highlighting his ability to extract the best from the senior spinner.

"I always love putting Axar under pressure, and the way he bowled was unbelievable. Other than the toss, everything (went well)," Suryakumar remarked with a chuckle, indicating the skipper's confidence in Axar's capabilities.

India will face off against Australia in the last match of the series in Bengaluru on Sunday, December 3.