New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) India all-rounder Axar Patel is set to reach a major international milestone and play his 100th T20I when he takes the field in the fourth T20I against England, describing the occasion as one that fulfils every cricketer’s dream.

Speaking ahead of the match on the ongoing England tour, Axar reflected on his journey from making his T20I debut in 2015 to becoming one of India’s most dependable white-ball performers, while acknowledging the people who have shaped his career and the lessons that have defined it.

“When I played T20 for the first time, I never imagined that I would play 100 matches. This England tour will be a very special day for me. In the second T20, I completed 100 wickets and in the fourth T20, I’ll complete 100 matches. It’s a very special day for me. I am enjoying this moment a lot. I am feeling very good,” Axar said in a BCCI video.

While individual milestones often dominate headlines, Axar insisted the achievement belongs to everyone who has supported him throughout his career.

“Basically, as a player, when you achieve a milestone, I feel that it’s not about me. I am not achieving this alone. You know, I have my team members, my coaches, my family with me. So, I think everyone’s role has been in my journey,” he added.

The left-arm spinner admitted that representing India itself remains the biggest achievement, making the prospect of completing 100 T20Is even more special.

“When you start, when you debut for the first time, that feeling is different. At that time, you don’t know how much you will achieve. But now, I am going to play the 100th match. You cannot express that feeling. Even if you play one match for India, it’s a big deal for you. Because it’s a player’s dream. And when you are going to play the 100th match, I think that is a very special moment,” Axar stated.

Axar’s road to the milestone has been far from straightforward. After making an early impression on debut, opportunities came sporadically before he established himself as a regular in India’s white-ball setup in recent years.

“If you play for such a long time, then that journey obviously becomes like a roller coaster. You never know. In the first 5 or 6 years, I played 15 or 16 matches. And then from 2021 till now, I think, I have played continuously. We have the last two World Cup T20s. In 1924, I played for the first time. And in 1926, I played for the second time. So, when you are playing the 100th match, all these journeys make memories for you. And I think all those special memories are for you,” the all-rounder said.

Having also completed 100 T20I wickets earlier in the series, Axar said personal records are satisfying but remain secondary to continuous improvement.

“Milestone doesn’t matter that much for me. But, yes, sometimes you feel good that you are taking 100 or T20 wickets. Or like a batsman takes 50 or 100 wickets. Or like a bowler takes 50 or 100 wickets. That is a milestone. You know, whatever hard work we have done for so many years, whether it was good or bad, whatever mistakes we have made, we have learned from it. How can we be better? And because of that, I think, we have paid attention to our process. Day by day, we have become better,” he mentioned.

Looking back on the player who debuted over a decade ago, Axar believes experience has fundamentally changed how he approaches the game.

“I know that in my first match, I was the man of the match. So, I know that I have taken 3 wickets by giving 9 runs, or 18 or 20 runs. I have taken 3 wickets. No, no, today’s Axar Patel and that Axar Patel have changed a lot. I think this is 2015 and 2026. I think it’s been 11 years. It’s a very long time. You learn along with the mistakes you make.

“So, when you have a young blood, you think, I should do this, I should do that. So, I think in today’s Axar and that Axar, in today’s Axar, you have to handle a lot of pressure. And all that has become easier. At that time, everything seemed new. At that time, I used to think, this will happen, we will do this. And at the same time, that was the first match. Now, there are 2-0 at the back. I think that is a very big change,” he stated.

If given the chance to advise his younger self, Axar said that embracing setbacks would be the one lesson he would pass on.

“If I had met Axar earlier, I would have said the same thing. Learn as much as you can from your mistakes. Obviously, in the cricket game, mistakes are bound to happen. It’s not that they won’t happen. But the time that can happen between one mistake and the next, we have learnt that early. And now, it’s not happening. So, I will be very grateful for that,” the 32-year-old concluded.

–IANS

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