Ajaz Patel savours ‘special day’ despite New Zealand collapse in Mumbai
Ajaz Patel wrote his name into cricket’s record books on Saturday, claiming all ten wickets in India’s first innings before being part of a New Zealand collapse that left his side chasing the game.
Patel was on song to record the best figures for New Zealand in Test cricket, but his efforts could be in a losing cause after his side were shot out for 62.
He had been at the wicket to save the previous Test on day five, and Patel was once again in the thick of the action in the city of his birth, Mumbai.
Patel says that he will savour the special day despite the batting failures.
“Personally I think it’s one of the greatest cricketing days of my life and probably will always be,” Patel told reporters.
“From the team perspective, it’s obviously tough. But we still have more Test cricket left. We got to make sure we front up tomorrow and scrap as much as we can.
“We are on the backfoot, but we got to come back here tomorrow and make sure we work as hard as possible to see how we can turn this game around or eke out something special.”
Siraj leads the fightback
India’s Mohammad Siraj was the tenth victim of Patel but would kickstart the New Zealand collapse with a fiery opening spell.
Ajaz Patel joins elite club as he bags all ten wickets in India’s first innings
He says he was trying to attack Patel when he was dismissed.
“Ajaz really bowled well. It was extraordinary bowling by him. My plan was to put pressure on him but unfortunately I got out,” said Siraj.
Siraj credits dilligent training with helping him hit the areas to trouble the New Zealand top order.
“After I got injured (in the first New Zealand Twenty20 last month), when I started training, I did a lot of single wicket bowling with an aim to get as much swing as possible,” said Siraj.
“That was my focus and when I would get the chance in a Test match, I had to consistently hit one area and that’s what will help me build my rhythm.”
India were 332 ahead by stumps at the Wankhede Stadium after not enforcing the follow-on and reaching 69 for 0 in their second innings.