New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel takes all 10 wickets in Test against India

  • 12/4/2021
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The New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel has become the third bowler to pick up all 10 wickets in an innings in international cricket, achieving the feat against India in the second Test at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The 33-year-old joined the England off-spinner Jim Laker (1956 against Australia) and the India leg-spinner Anil Kumble (1999 against Pakistan) in picking up all wickets in an innings. The spin-bowling great Kumble, who took 619 Test wickets for India, tweeted: “Welcome to the club Ajaz Patel #Perfect 10. Well bowled! A special effort to achieve it on day one and two of a test match.” The Mumbai-born left-armer Patel, whose parents emigrated to New Zealand in 1996, added six wickets to the four he took on Friday’s first day to finish with figures of 10 for 119. Patel, who started his career as a fast bowler, extracted sharp turn and bounce from the pitch and carried the New Zealand bowling on his shoulders to restrict the hosts’ first innings total to 325. “It is quite a special occasion for me and my family,” Patel told Sky Sports. “I don’t think you ever believe you can achieve something like this. To be able to do it in my career is pretty special. “I think, by the grace of God, I am very fortunate that the stars have aligned to have an occasion like this in Mumbai. To be born here and then come back to achieve something like this is pretty special.” After picking up the wickets of Wriddhiman Saha and Ravichandran Ashwin in his first over on Saturday, he returned after the lunch interval to take the remaining four to wrap up India’s innings. As Rachin Ravindra pouched a skied effort from India’s No 11, Mohammed Siraj, to confirm the fall of the final wicket, Patel went down on one knee with a clenched fist before being hugged by his teammates. He received a standing ovation from the India team in the dressing room and the sparse crowd at the ground overlooking the Arabian Sea. While Patel dominated the proceedings with the ball, it was Mayank Agarwal who scored the bulk of the runs for the hosts on a tricky surface. Agarwal reached 150 with a cut shot off Ajaz but was caught behind on the next delivery. The all-rounder Axar Patel provided able support with 52, his maiden Test half century. It proved an otherwise miserable day for the Black Caps, as the world Test champions were skittled for 62 in reply. Ashwin helped himself to four for eight after Siraj had taken the first three wickets. After the drawn first Test, India then ended a day that could prove decisive in the two-match series on 69 without loss in their second innings, 332 runs ahead.

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