Axar Patel. (Photo Source: BCCI)
Indian bowler Axar Patel created a new record during the fourth and final Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, becoming the fastest Indian to take 50 Test wickets. He reached the landmark in just 2205 balls, when he dismissed Australia’s Travis Head.
With this, the bowling all-rounder leapfrogged pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who previously held the record (2465 balls). Bumrah is followed by former cricketer Karsan Gharvi (2534 balls) and R Ashwin (2597 deliveries).
Axar sent back Travis Head on the fifth ball of the 60th over of Australia’s second innings. The Australia opener was batting well and looked set to score a ton. However, he had to walk back to the dressing room after scoring 90 off 163, with two maximums and 10 fours.
Axar achieved the feat in just 12 matches, bowling at a strike rate of 44.1 and an average of 17.06. The left-arm spinner has picked up three wickets against Australia from four games, eight against Bangladesh from two matches, nine against New Zealand from two matches, and three wickets against Sri Lanka from one match. Notably, he has scalped more wickets against England, picking up 27 wickets from just three Tests.
Axar performed well in the four-match series against Australia, scoring 264 runs in five innings at a staggering average of 88.. He was the third-highest runscorer in the series, hitting crucial half-centuries in in Nagpur and Delhi. He was also the only batter to be unbeaten in both innings for India in Indore.
Watch Axar Patel dismissing Travis Head
India won the series by 2-1
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma and Co. clinched the four-match series with a draw on Day 5. The visitors started the day at 3/0 with Head and Matthew Kuhnemann on the crease. At the time the two teams agreed for a draw, Steve Smith (10*) and Marnus Labuschagne (63*) remained unbeaten at the crease. India had already booked their place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia after Sri Lanka lost against New Zealand in their Test IN Christchurch on Monday.