Axar Patel was the best as he made batsmen play: Harbhajan Singh

AHMEDABAD: Spinner Axar Patel made the batsmen play the ball every time he bowled which is what made him lethal during the second and third Test matches between India and England, said veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Harbhajan, 40, said that the spinners in India are taught to always hit the stump and make adjustments to do so depending upon the amount of spin that the pitch is aiding.

"At the beginning of our journey, the spinners are taught to hit the stumps — the ball should hit the stumps after the spin. If the wicket has spin then the bowler needs to judge how much spin is required, and if you're missing the stumps constantly then the it's the bowler's fault. If there is a spinning track or any other track, there is always a challenge to bowl," Harbhajan said on Star Sports.

"The most difficult balls were the ones where the batsman has to face with the bat and I believe Axar Patel was the best bowler in this game, because the batsman had to play his every ball and Axar Patel himself didn't know whether the ball will spin or not," he further said.

Patel made his debut in the longest format of the game in the second Test in Chennai and ended up taking seven wickets. He then took 11 wickets in the third Test that was played at the NarendraModi Stadium, his home ground in domestic cricket, in Ahmedabad. (IANS)

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