“12th Chahal aur 13th Axar”: Axar Patel reveals how Mumbai Indians used to select their playing 11 in IPL 2013

Axar Patel was signed by Mumbai Indians in 2013, but he could only make his IPL debut in 2014 for the Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab).

Axar Patel has been a regular at the Delhi Capitals for quite some time now. He was bought in IPL 2019 by Delhi Capitals for a price of INR 5 crores. He was retained along with Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, and Anrich Nortje ahead of IPL 2022 as well.

Axar Patel appeared on the show “Breakfast with Champions” where he talked about a lot of topics with Gaurav Kapoor. He revealed the story behind his name change and also his reactions to Rishabh Pant’s chatter behind the stumps.

Axar Patel made his IPL debut in 2014 against Chennai Super Kings for Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab). However, Axar was first bought by Mumbai Indians in IPL 2013, but he didn’t play a single game and was on the bench throughout the season.

Axar Patel on Mumbai Indians team selection in IPL 2013

In a funny manner, Axar revealed that Yuzvendra Chahal was the 12th man and he was the 13th man of the Mumbai Indians side. He jokes that the playing eleven used to get changed regularly but the 12th and 13th man were always fixed.

“I was on the bench for the 1 year I was in Mumbai,” Axar Patel said.

“It wasn’t an 11-man team that would be made 1st…12th man was Chahal and the 13th was Axar Patel.”

Axar Patel IPL career

-Part of MI in 2013
-Emerging Player in 2014 (KXIP):17 wkts
-Hat-trick v GL (2016)
-Failed to defend 23 in final over v MSD (2016)
-Only player to be retained by KXIP (2018)
-Picked by DC for 5 cr (2019)
-POTM v RCB in 2020.Hit 3 sixes in v CSK in last over

— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) October 18, 2020

Mumbai Indians won their first IPL title in 2013 only when Rohit Sharma took over the captaincy from Ricky Ponting midway in the tournament. Mumbai’s side was filled with superstars like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Lasith Malinga, Harbhajan Singh, etc in the 2013 season.

Jasprit Bumrah also joined Mumbai Indians in 2013, and Axar said that both used to be together. Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah both came together from the Gujarat Ranji team. Axar revealed that both of them were awestruck when they first joined the franchise.

“Jasprit and I began together, and we were awestruck,” Axar revealed.

“All the big stars we used to see on TV are now standing in front of us”