“Not daring, I don’t like that word. Confidence is my thing.” Two days before the first Test against South Africa, Axar Patel nails his character trait that has seen him blossom into India’s crisis man in all formats, with bat and ball. Runs needed in the middle-overs in an ODI, send him up. A left-handed option needed higher up in T20s, dial Axar. A Test collapse needs to be fixed, Axar hain na. Wickets needed when bigger names aren’t getting breakthroughs, throw the (red or white) ball to Axar. Delhi Daredevils are without a proper captain, give the responsibility to Axar, who did it so well last season that it stunned quite a few onlookers.

It’s his nonchalance that first strikes you. And laughter. The back-slapping jokes in seemingly crisis situations, the great ability to diffuse ten

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