‘Leadership isn’t about speaking English’: Axar Patel on captaincy stereotypes in India

India spinner Axar Patel (AP Photo)

India all-rounder Axar Patel has spoken out about a little-discussed prejudice in Indian cricket - a captain's capacity for leadership is correlated with his public persona or English proficiency. Prior to India's first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens, Patel stated that a strong leader is defined by their ability to understand players and bring out their best, not by their ability to speak English fluently. He said that people frequently undervalue cricketers because of their communication style.

Patel took over as captain of the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) following Rishabh Pant's exit.

"People start saying, 'Oh, he's not captaincy material, he doesn't speak English. How will he talk?' Arre! Captain's work is not to just talk. Captain's work is to know the player and see how to get the best out of him what's his strength, what's his weakness," Axar told The Indian Express.

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He maintained that the idea of what constitutes a good captain had been distorted by fans and critics. "If we say 'personality chahiye, acha English bolna chahiye' that's a perception made by the public based on their own thinking. I captained Delhi Capitals this year and got a lot of praise. I think if more of this happens, more will change in the coming time," he said.

Axar went on to say that appearances, media representation, and social media presence frequently influence public opinion today. "It's all about what you see and what the media is showing. How active you are on social media, how you talk - people judge you on all that. Everyone likes to give opinions these days he's capable, he's not capable, make him captain, don't make him captain," he remarked.

According to the 31-year-old, cricketers should be valued for their abilities rather than their flair. "People in cricket know what's the value of a player. At the end of the day, that's what matters - what the people around you think. So yeah, just do your job," he said.

Axar is anticipated to be part of India's playing XI for the two Tests against South Africa, which will begin in Kolkata on November 14. If this is the case it will be his first red-ball appearance since February 2024.