New Delhi: New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel became the only third bowler in the history of Test cricket to take 10 wickets in an innings. The left-arm spinner achieved the feat during the second Test of the series against India in Mumbai.
Patel joined England’s Jim Laker and India’s Anil Kumble as the only third bowler — all spinners — to take 10 wickets in a Test innings.
Patel bowled 47.5 overs, conceding 119 runs for his ten wickets in the first innings of the Mumbai Test. Incidentally, India’s Anil Kumble was the last bowler to take a 10-wicket haul. He achieved the feat during a Test in Delhi against Pakistan in 1999.
The left-armer had finished with four wickets on the first Day of the Test and continued on his splendid run in the morning session of Day 2. Even as the other spinners were significantly expensive in comparison, Patel kept things tight at his end as he continued to inflict regular blows to the Indian innings.
From the 85th over of the Indian innings, Ajaz Patel bowled a marathon spell till the side was bowled out on 325 — during which he took three wickets including that of centurion Mayank Agarwal, who scored a gritty 150.
Earlier on Day 1, Ajaz rocked the Indian innings three quick wickets of Shubman Gill (44), Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli (both on 0). Even as Mayank Agarwal steered a fightback for India alongside Shreyas Iyer and Wriddhiman Saha for the remainder of the day, Ajaz soaked up the pressure from one end to keep India from dominating the day’s play.
In the morning session, the spinner put India under pressure straightaway with wickets of Saha (27) and Ashwin (0), before wrapping up the Indian tail after Lunch. With the final dismissal of Mohammed Siraj, Ajaz joined the elite club featuring Laker and Kumble.
Ajaz’s figures justifiably become the best by a New Zealand bowler. The previous best from a Kiwi were 9/52, achieved by the great Richard Headley against Australia in 1985.
