‘Visiting temples is not a bad thing’: Axar Patel shares insights on India team culture

Axar Patel Revealing the unique ‘tradition’ followed by the Indian cricket team during major assignments while reiterating his stance against the impact player rule ahead of IPL 2026.The Delhi Capitals captain spoke about how the players regularly visit the temple during bilateral tours and ICC events. During the 2026 T20 World Cup, Indian players were seen visiting several temples before the match and even after the win, the captain Suryakumar Yadavhead coach Gautam Gambhir International Cricket Council president Jay Shah visited the Hanuman temple to pray for the trophy.

Speaking at a Delhi Capitals event on Monday, Aksa explained that such visits are largely due to convenience and security arrangements during matches. “Visiting temples is not a bad thing. We go to temples, otherwise we wouldn’t be able to go. We are accompanied by security personnel during the games,” he said.Apart from this, Axar once again expressed his dissatisfaction with the impact player rule, becoming the latest Indian cricketer to question its impact on the game. The rule, introduced in 2023, allows teams to substitute a player from a five-man roster at any stage of a game and will remain in place until at least 2027.Axar’s views are in line with those of other senior players such as Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandyaboth of whom had previously raised concerns. Rohit had pointed out in 2024 that this rule hampered the development of all-rounders, while Hardik later added that it would make team selection difficult unless a player excels with both bat and ball.Explaining his point of view, Aksa highlighted how the rule changes team strategies and reduces the need for multi-skilled players. “Honestly, I don’t like this rule because I am an all-rounder. Earlier, you would pick an all-rounder to bat and bowl.“But because of this rule, team management picks a particular batsman or bowler and thinks ‘Why do we need an all-rounder?’ Because I am an all-rounder, I don’t like this rule. At the same time, rules are rules and we need to follow them. But from a personal point of view, I don’t like this rule,” he said at the pre-season press conference.Delhi Capitals will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Lucknow Supergiants on April 1 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium. Axar had earlier raised the issue in 2024 too, pointing out the impact the rule had on his batting position when he was vice-captain.