3rd Test: 'I was confident of troubling the batsmen,' says Axar Patel

Axar Patel celebrates the dismissal of England`s Jofra Archer on the first day of the 3rd test. Picture/ PTI

Axar Patel was confident he would do well after getting a fifer in his debut Test at Chennai.

However, the Gujarat skipper was surprised to pick another five-wicket haul on his home ground as England were bowled out for a paltry 112 on Day One of the third Test played with the pink ball.

Bowling in one spell of 21.4 overs, Axar claimed 6-38, while R Ashwin picked 3-26 at the Narendra Modi stadium.

"I didn't expect to take six wickets on the first day itself as I didn't know whether we will bowl or bat first. However, I was prepared and confident of doing well as I had taken five wickets in the last match. So, I was bowling well irrespective of whether the pitch will help or not. Because of the line and lengths I was bowling and the variations I had, I was confident of troubling the batsmen," Axar said after the day's play on Wednesday.

English batsmen were guilty of playing for the spin and ended up getting out LBW or bowled.

Axar felt the extra shine on the pink ball helped him skid the ball better as compared to Chennai Tests, which were played with the red ball. "Since the ball was skidding, it was better to bowl stump-to-stump. I feel the glare on the pink ball helped the ball to skid more as compared to the red ball in Chennai.

"I tried to exploit [the skiddiness] as much as possible [when I came on], because the ball was new, and there was more shine. The older the ball became, the less it was skidding," he said.