By Prakash Nair 
Perth, October 19: The rain wouldn’t stop, the pitch wouldn’t settle, and for a few hours at the Optus Stadium, Axar Patel seemed to be doing two jobs at once, calming nerves in the dressing room while trying to rescue India’s innings out in the middle.
Before the match even began, the all-rounder had said something that stuck with everyone in the press box: “Rohit bhai and Virat bhai will help Shubman become a better captain.” No drama in his tone, no headline-baiting flourish. Just a quiet assurance that India’s leadership handover from the old guard to Shubman Gill might be smoother than people think.
A Team Finding Its Voice Again
Gill’s captaincy has arrived in the kind of environment Indian cricket rarely enjoys, one where two legends are still around, not as power figures, but as guides. Axar knows that dynamic well. He’s played under both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and now finds himself as one of the middle-order constants in a squad that’s clearly learning a new rhythm.
He said what many inside that setup have quietly felt for weeks: that Gill’s leadership will grow faster because of the senior pair’s presence, not despite it. It’s the kind of understated endorsement that doesn’t make prime-time noise but says a lot about how this dressing room feels right now, settled, respectful, even a little relieved that experience hasn’t been pushed out in a rush.
The Match That Never Quite Got Going
Then came the cricket, or at least what the weather allowed of it. India’s innings never really settled. Rohit out for eight, Kohli for a duck, Gill scratching to ten before edging one to slip. By the time Axar came in around number seven, the scoreboard looked nervous at 37 for 3, and the outfield was starting to glisten again with drizzle.
He played a few crisp drives but never found timing, ending on 7 from 11 balls before the rain returned. Somewhere in between, he slipped while turning for a third ru,n losing his balance and costing India one run. It was one of those awkward, half-funny moments that fans notice more than coaches do, but on a day like this, it felt symbolic: effort, intent, and just a touch of bad luck.
When the umpires waved the players off again, the Perth crowd groaned. India’s dugout didn’t. Most of them knew the match had already drifted away, and with the new leadership setup still taking shape, this was more a test of patience than performance.
Why Axar’s Words Hit Different
For those watching India’s cricket politics over the years, Axar’s comments might feel refreshingly normal. No veiled digs, no talk of “new eras” or “fresh approaches.” Just accepting that leadership can be shared that Rohit and Virat don’t have to disappear for Gill to grow.
In truth, that’s been India’s biggest issue in transitions. Dhoni’s quiet exit, Kohli’s fiery tenure, Rand ohit’s calm hand each came with its own baggage. But now, there’s a sense of balance. Axar’s calm, almost dispassionate tone suggested that this team may finally have found its peace.
For a player like him, often in the background, rarely quoted to step forward with that kind of confidence, is telling. It means he sees the unity inside the dressing room and wants the outside world to see it too.
Beyond the Scorecard
This first ODI won’t be remembered for runs or wickets. It’ll be remembered for small glimpses of the way Gill adjusted the field between overs, the way Rohit and Virat chatted quietly near the boundary, the way Axar smiled after that slip. It all looked like a group still trying to find rhythm but not losing heart.
India will fly to Sydney next, hoping for clearer skies and cleaner cricket. Axar, for his part, will likely play the same dual role the quiet stabiliser who bowls his ten overs without fuss and chips in with the bat when everything else collapses.
And maybe that’s the story right now. A team in transition. A young captain with big shadows beside him. A senior core that hasn’t left, only shifted its role. And somewhere in the middle, a player like Axar Patel reminds everyone that belief doesn’t always have to come from the star names; sometimes it comes from the steady ones who rarely make headlines.
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- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
