Axar talks of how India is about process more than passion

Colombo: In a rivalry that is routinely packaged as geopolitical theatre, India chose understatement over uproar — and dismantled Pakistan with chilling efficiency.

There was no chest-thumping in the Indian camp, no talk of settling scores. Vice-captain Axar Patel distilled the mood bluntly: “One match and one opponent.” In a contest historically drenched in emotion, India stripped it down to basics— plans, conditions, execution.

The result was a commanding victory that exposed the difference between noise and nuance.

The build-up had been predictable: India’s batting versus Pakistan’s spin, a tactical arm-wrestle framed as destiny. Inside the dressing room, however, captain Suryakumar Yadav’s instruction was simple— focus inward.

“Whatever captain says, we are focusing on our strength,” Axar said. “It’s outside talk… India’s batting versus Pakistan bowling or whatever. We are not thinking about that.”

It was not indifference. It was intent. India read the surface, mapped their phases and committed to clarity. If bowling first, hit the right lengths. If chasing, respect what the pitch offered. “We are just thinking about our plan and our execution,” Axar explained, underlining a side increasingly defined by discipline rather than drama.

Repeated wins over Pakistan have not dulled the edge—they have sharpened perspective. When asked about rivalry, Axar brushed it aside. “We are seeing them as a team… we are not thinking about rivalry.” In an arena once fuelled by emotional voltage, India now operate on professional detachment.

That detachment was visible in their cricket.

Axar himself has become emblematic of this adaptability. Once used as a floating disruptor up the order, he now slots in lower down, ready to finish if required. “As an all-rounder, you can bowl anytime, you can bat anytime,” he said. More revealing was his take on selection: “If your team needs me, that means they are showing confidence in me.”

Flexibility, not ego, defines India’s approach. It extended to their bowling. The surface offered dual behaviour — some balls gripping, others skidding under lights. During the interval, Axar tested the new ball and sensed it was coming on quicker. That small detail shaped his second-innings plan. “The plan is what the batsman wants to do,” he said. “After that I change my line or length.” When a batter advanced, he held his length. When attacked, he widened angles, forcing risk toward the longer boundary. It was a chess match played in inches, not theatrics.

There were counter-punches — Usman Khan struck him twice straight — but India responded with recalibration, not panic. They absorbed, adjusted and tightened.

If composure defined India’s bowling, Ishan Kishan’s audacity defined their batting. On a surface where Pakistan bowled 18 overs of spin and the ball gripped sharply, Kishan’s near-190 strike rate was audacious and decisive.

“One of the great knocks,” Axar said. “The ball was spinning, some were going straight under light.” The difference, he noted, was range. “He has not hit all his shots in one place… he used the field well.” Confidence born of recent form allowed Kishan to trust his skill without ignoring conditions. It was aggression under control— the kind that wins tournaments.

Even amid a sea of blue in the stands, India remained insulated. “We just think about the wicket and what is there,” Axar said. Atmosphere was acknowledged, not absorbed.

Behind closed doors, Rohit Sharma’s pre-match address focused on one theme: emotional control. “It’s very important that the pressure is not too much,” Axar revealed. The team reminded itself deep into the chase to “stay normal, calm and composed.” Victory would only be claimed when “the last wicket falls.” That mindset may be India’s greatest weapon. In neutralising the occasion, they neutralised Pakistan.

This was more than a win. It was a statement about maturity. In high-pressure cricket, skill is assumed. What separates sides is clarity under stress. India narrowed the game to what they could command — and commanded almost everything.