JOIN USAxar Patel made it clear that he does not consider himself as a substitute of Ravindra Jadeja in the limited overs format and will "automatically" get selected if he is doing well.
Axar, who has been preferred to seasoned pro Jadeja has played 8 ODIs since August taking 10 wickets and more importantly has been economical in most of the games.
"I have got a place in the team and that's why I am playing. I am of the view that if I do well in one game, I will automatically be picked in the next match," Axar told mediapersons at the pre-match conference.
After losing the first ODI against New Zealand in Mumbai, where Tom Latham repeatedly played the sweep shot against Kuldeep Yadav, the Indian team changed it's ploy and brought in Axar, which worked for the 'Men In Blue'.
"They played the sweep (shot) well in the first game. We knew that against spinners that was the strategy they will adopt and we formalised our strategy as per that by changing the angle by bowling over and round the wicket (in turns)," said Axar, who plays for Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy.
He has always been assigned a specific role by the team management -- to contain runs and he has done that with a fair amount of success.
"My role is the same. The wrist spinner (Chahal in this case) gets turn on most wickets and his role is to attack more and try to take wickets in middle overs. Finger spinner's aim is to contain from one end. If pressure is put from both ends, there are more chances of getting the wickets," said Axar.
Axar said that skipper Virat Kohli has given him the freedom and confidence to bowl as he wants to.
"The captain backs you when you do well. I have been playing from the second ODI. He gives me the freedom to bowl what I want to."