Axar Patel's 100th T20I: 'Never imagined playing 100 matches'
Synopsis
Axar Patel is completing a remarkable double on India's England tour — 100 T20I wickets in the second match, 100 T20I caps in the fourth. A cricketer who spent his first six years playing barely 15 games, he has now played continuously since 2021 and featured in two T20 World Cups. His journey from sporadic selection to indispensable white-ball asset is one of Indian cricket's quieter, more instructive stories.
Key Takeaways
Axar Patel will play his 100th T20I in the fourth match against England on the ongoing tour.
He also completed 100 T20I wickets in the second T20I of the same series.
Axar made his T20I debut in 2015 but played only 15–16 matches in his first five to six years.
He has featured in India's last two T20 World Cups (2024 and 2026), cementing his white-ball status.
The 32-year-old credited team members, coaches, and family for the milestone, calling it a collective achievement.
India all-rounder Axar Patel is set to mark his 100th T20I appearance when he takes the field in the fourth T20I against England on the ongoing tour, calling it a moment that fulfils every cricketer's deepest ambition. The left-arm spinner, who made his T20I debut in 2015, has evolved into one of India's most dependable white-ball performers over an 11-year international journey.
The Milestone Moment
'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 ahead of the match.
Notably, the fourth T20I caps a remarkable double for Axar on this tour alone — having already reached 100 T20I wickets in the second match of the series, he now stands on the verge of a century of appearances, making this England tour uniquely significant in his career.
A Roller-Coaster Road to 100
Axar's path to the landmark has been anything but linear. After an eye-catching debut — where he claimed 3 wickets in a Man of the Match performance — opportunities dried up for years. '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,' he reflected.
The all-rounder also referenced his participation in India's last two T20 World Cups, in 2024 and 2026, as defining chapters. Those tournaments, combined with consistent domestic form, cemented his place as a first-choice option in India's white-ball plans.
Credit to the Team, Not Just the Individual
Despite the personal nature of the milestone, Axar was emphatic that the achievement is a collective one. '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,' the 32-year-old said.
He added that even a single cap for India carries immense weight, making a century of appearances an almost surreal prospect for any cricketer who once simply dreamed of pulling on the blue jersey.
Process Over Records
Characteristically measured, Axar downplayed the significance of statistical milestones, pointing instead to sustained improvement as the real reward. 'Milestone doesn't matter that much for me. But, yes, sometimes you feel good... 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,' he said.
Comparing the cricketer he is today with the debutant of 2015, Axar acknowledged a fundamental shift in mindset. 'Today's Axar Patel and that Axar Patel have changed a lot... In today's Axar, you have to handle a lot of pressure. And all that has become easier,' he noted.
Advice to His Younger Self
Asked what he would tell the younger version of himself, Axar kept it simple: embrace every mistake as a lesson. 'Learn as much as you can from your mistakes. Obviously, in the cricket game, mistakes are bound to happen... 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 all-rounder concluded.
With the fourth T20I still to come, Axar Patel stands one match away from joining an exclusive club of Indian cricketers who have reached three figures in the shortest format — a fitting reward for over a decade of perseverance.
Point of View
A reminder of how deep the talent pool is and how cruelly selection cycles can work. His resurgence from 2021 onwards coincides with India's aggressive rotation policy in white-ball cricket — a structural shift that rewarded specialists willing to wait. The double of 100 caps and 100 wickets in the same series is the kind of symmetry that rarely happens by accident; it reflects a player who has consistently performed when given the opportunity, not one who merely accumulated appearances.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Axar Patel play his 100th T20I?
Axar Patel is set to play his 100th T20I in the fourth T20I against England on the ongoing India tour of England. He confirmed the milestone in a BCCI video ahead of the match.
How many T20I wickets does Axar Patel have?
Axar Patel completed 100 T20I wickets during the second T20I against England in the same series, making this tour a double-milestone occasion for the all-rounder.
When did Axar Patel make his T20I debut?
Axar Patel made his T20I debut in 2015, claiming 3 wickets and winning the Man of the Match award. However, he played only 15 to 16 matches in his first five to six years before establishing himself as a regular from 2021 onwards.
Which T20 World Cups has Axar Patel featured in?
According to Axar, he featured in India's last two T20 World Cups — in 2024 and 2026 — which he described as among the defining memories of his international career.
What did Axar Patel say about reaching 100 T20Is?
Axar said the feeling is beyond words, noting that even one cap for India is a cricketer's dream. 'When you are going to play the 100th match, I think that is a very special moment,' he said in a BCCI video, adding that the achievement belongs to his teammates, coaches, and family as much as to himself.
