Axar, who was exquisite in his slog-sweeps and smash through covers against spinners, was also a handy partner in the match-winning 113-run stand with Rishabh Pant for the fourth wicket. Such was the effect of Axar and Pant nullifying GT spinners that left-arm spinner R. Sai Kishore couldn\u2019t bowl until the 19th over came, due to the match-up of him against two left-handed batters.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After DC prevailed over GT by four runs in a thrilling run-fest, assistant coach Pravin Amre said the decision to promote Axar, who took three catches and returned with figures of 1-28, was done mainly to counter Kishore in the power-play.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cLast year, he was the one who was striking the ball well. To be honest, if you see in whatever opportunities he got this year, he was (coming out to bat) in last four or five overs. It wasn\u2019t fair and that was the whole idea \u2013 to give him some chance. Also, they had the plan of bowling Sai Kishore in the power-play and the reasoning of Indian batters taking him on meant he came to bowl only in the 19th over.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSo, Axar played his role very well and more importantly, the partnership he had with Rishabh of 113 runs \u2013 it came after we struggled in power-play, where we lost a few wickets. But the maturity shown by Axar there was very important and that was a reason behind us getting 97 runs in last five overs,\u201d said Amre in the post-match press conference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Axar\u2019s promotion to three meant Abishek Porel became the designated finisher for Wednesday\u2019s game, where his services weren\u2019t needed as DC managed to post a mammoth 224\/4.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cPorel started well from the nine-ball 30 he got against Punjab in the opening game. He was striking the ball well, but for us it is about all six batters going well. In that case, Axar did not have a big knock so far. Plus, we were also confident that Porel can bat at the top of the order and in the middle as well. So we wanted to give him the role of finisher here along with Stubbs,\u201d added Amre.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kishore too felt the 113-run stand between Axar and Pant along with GT conceding 53 runs in the last two overs of DC innings was where the match tilted in favour of the hosts\u2019. \u201cSandy bowled really well and got us into the game in power-play. Honestly, after that, Axar and Pant batted really well.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cRishabh especially scored lots of boundaries on good balls \u2013 not necessarily sixes, but many of them were fours. They got the momentum and we conceded more sixes than fours in the last two-three overs \u2013 that resulted in the game going slightly out of our hands.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
GT almost came close to chasing down 225, but fell four runs short and Kishore, who hit consecutive sixes off Rasikh Salam in the 19th over, believes his team, now at seventh place in points table, are still confident of making a late case for entering the playoffs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf we had won, it could have been a morale-boosting thing and put us in a very commanding position. The best part about this team is the belief everyone carries. Everyone believed in the dugout that we can pull this off \u2013 this is what the side has been built on.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cEveryone in the group would believe that no matter what the situation is, though I don\u2019t know the exact scenario of qualification, but we have the belief of doing it. A lot of these things are out of control and try to make sure that how we are playing is taken care of. Rest of the things will follow, just try to get better and be emotionally detached from the result.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2024\/04\/ipl-2024-axar-patels-promotion-to-number-three-was-for-countering-r-sai-kishore-says-dc-coach-amre.JPG", "alt_img": "IPL 2024: Axar Patel\u2019s promotion to number three was for countering R Sai Kishore, says DC coach Amr", "alt_title": "New Delhi:Match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "IPL 2024: Axar Patel\u2019s Promotion To Number Three Was For Countering R Sai Kishore, Says DC Coach Amre On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "IPL 2024: Axar Patel\u2019s Promotion To Number Three Was For Countering R Sai Kishore, Says DC Coach Amre, Axar Patel: Wednesday\u2019s match against Gujarat Titans was just the third time Axar Patel batted at number three in T20.", "seo_keywords": "Axar Patel, Sai Kishore, New Delhi, Gujarat Titans, Rishabh Pant, After DC, Pravin Amre, Abishek Porel, Rasikh Salam", "tag": "", "tagging": "Axar Patel, Sai Kishore, New Delhi, Gujarat Titans, Rishabh Pant, After DC, Pravin Amre, Abishek Porel, Rasikh Salam", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "ipl-2024-axar-patels-promotion-to-number-three-was-for-countering-r-sai-kishore-says-dc-coach-amre", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "937", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2024-04-25 10:46:05", "updated": "2024-04-25 10:46:05", "img_from": "Image Source: IANS", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "Axar Patel, Sai Kishore, New Delhi, Gujarat Titans, Rishabh Pant, After DC, Pravin Amre, Abishek Porel, Rasikh Salam", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "1", "google_feed": "1", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "23", "jio_date": "2024-04-25 10:46:05", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "1", "google_date": null, "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/ipl-2024-axar-patels-promotion-to-number-three-was-for-countering-r-sai-kishore-says-dc-coach-amre-143302" }