Ten wickets in an innings is a fantasy that has only come true twice in the 144-year history of Test cricket. For a data-heavy game that is cricket, this is a rare to rare achievement indeed.
NS New Zealand The left-arm spinner, playing his 11th Test at 33, achieved the remarkable feat when he took all 10 Indian wickets in the first two days. Wankhede Test on Friday. What makes it even more incredible is that it has arrived in a city that he is not afraid to call his “home” in every media interaction.
This is all the more extraordinary as it has come against Indian batsmen who are arguably the best players of spin bowling in the world, never mind that the match is being played on a rank turner.
Another addition added to Patel’s magical feat is that this is the first time a bowler has taken all the wickets while playing away from home and in the first two days of a Test.
In a way, it is a case of the coming of a full circle of life for the Mumbai-born, whose family moved to New Zealand in 1996 in search of better prospects.
“Honestly, it’s surreal and it’s very special to be able to do this in my career. The stars have aligned for me to do it in Mumbai,” Patel said after registering figures of 47.5-12-119-10 Said. “Coming back home to Mumbai, coming to Wankhede, and producing something like this is very special. I am thankful to God that he gave me such an opportunity.”
Patel was only eight then and his father Yunus was in the refrigeration business, while his mother Shahnaz taught at a school near his Jogeshwari residence.
Sports rarely came up for discussion at the dinner table and the priority for the family was to get something under their feet in New Zealand. For starters, the father focused on learning English, while the son had to get rid of his heavy accent, which his classmates in Auckland failed to pick up on.
Cricket came slowly and he started off as a left arm swing bowler. Even as he worked up the ladder, the competition got tighter and his short frame didn’t help matters. After missing out on a spot in the Under-19 New Zealand squad for the World Cup, he stood at the crossroads.
That’s when he decided to take up spin bowling and learned the art from Deepak Patel, the first player of Indian origin to play for New Zealand, the off-spinner who was used as a pinch-hitter by the late Martin Crowe in 1992. Held under the World Cup.
Deepak would stand at the crease for hours, bowling Patel without a run-up, trying to recreate the action of a spinner from scratch. It helped and the career move from Auckland to the Central District worked wonders in his career. Patel has been the number 1 spinner in domestic cricket in New Zealand for quite some time now. However, it was an injury to Mitchell Santner that saw him make his Test debut in 2018 against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.
He took five wickets in the fourth innings, but surprisingly, after playing three Tests, he still has to take a Test wicket at home. This is the reason why New Zealand Cricket has not given him a central contract, as he feels that he can take wickets only in favorable conditions.
The Wankhede ground was not an unfamiliar place for the spinner. Former Mumbai Indians fast bowler Michelle McClenaghan He got a chance to bowl in the nets during the IPL when he was vacationing in the city.
India great Anil Kumble, who scored 10 against Pakistan in 1999 after England’s Jim Laker in 1956, was quick to congratulate Patel. “Welcome to the club #AjazPatel #Perfect10 Nice bowling! A special effort to achieve this on Day 1 and 2 of the Test match,” Kumble posted on Twitter.
“It is a very special occasion not only for me but for my family. Unfortunately for me, they are not here because of covid. I am also in very good company with Kumble sir. Nice to see his message and his kind words.” said Patel, smiling.
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