New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel became the only third bowler in the world to pick up 10 wickets in an innings during the second Test match against India. He bagged overall 14 wickets in the match as the visitors lost the match by 372 runs on Monday (December 6).
Ajaz had a chat with India's veteran spinner R Ashwin, who also presented him India's Test jersey signed by all his teammates on achieving the rare feat. The Kiwi, who's a Mumbai-born, said that the accomplishment is special for him and his family.
“It has been a special outing for me. It’s my dream to come here and play at Wankhede and be able to do something like that (historic feat) is very special. Not only for me but also for my family back home,” Patel told Ashwin.
“I will count myself as fortunate. I thank God to have (got) this opportunity but it was about putting the ball at good areas for a long period of time.
“As a spinner, sometimes you really have to work. I have to bowl 47 overs or something. In the end I am very exhausted, 72 or 73 overs in three days," he added in a video uploaded by the BCCI.
India managed to score 325 runs in the first innings, followed by 276/7 runs in the second innings before the declaration. Ajaz admitted that it wasn't easy bowling to the Indian batters who put him under a lot of pressure.
“It is about playing that long games especially when the wickets suited you and giving something to you. We knew that you guys are amazing players of spin. You guys put a lot of pressure on me.
“I was trying to be on the money every ball because as soon as I miss, you guys would be on top. So, it has been a bit of a mind game. It was about sticking and trusting what you are doing is the right thing," he said.
Ashwin praised the New Zealand spinner while recalling his journey to reach where is he now. “A middle-class Indian family, parents migrated to New Zealand. His father started a workshop. It is an amazing journey (for Patel).
“He (Ajaz) was a fast bowler, I don’t think you would fancy to be one here," Ashwin said.
Ajaz wanted to be a pacer earlier in his career, but he choose to be a spinner which turned out to be a good decision. “In New Zealand, I definitely wanted to be a seamer first up, even now sometimes I wish to bowl seam. But I don’t really have the height of a fast bowler and so I made a great choice switching to spin bowling.
“It has been a lot of hard work but I am very grateful to be where I am right now in cricket,” he said.
The 33-year-old revealed that Ashwin is among the bowlers he looked up to. “As you know, it takes a lot of time to develop the craft. It has been amazing watching your journey and the amount of wickets you have taken in different conditions around the world.
“For me, it was just about trying to emulate some of the best and you are definitely out there.”
Speaking on his memories in India, Ajaz added, “Early on in India, it was just like playing cricket in Maidan just because you enjoy playing with the rubber ball or heavy tennis ball, way to go.
“But in New Zealand, probably it is more structured. In our family, Indians are cricket mad and we still play in the backyard every hour, crazy times, just cricket-mad family really.”
Ajaz surpassed former Black Caps legendary cricketer Sir Richard Hadlee's record of best figures by a New Zealand bowler. Hadlee had taken nine for 52 versus Australia back in 1985.
(With PTI Inputs)
