New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel said that the “stars have aligned” for him to become the third bowler in Test history to take all 10 wickets in his first match in Mumbai, where he was born and lived till his family left for New Zealand when he was aged eight. Ajaz took four wickets in the first day of the second Test between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium and then took six more on the second day.
“Quite a special occasion for me and not just me but my family. Unfortunately for me, they’re not here because of Covid,” said Ajaz after the end of the second session. “Honestly, it’s pretty surreal, I don’t think you will ever believe that you would achieve something like this so to do it in my career is pretty special.”
Only England’s Jim Laker, who like Ajaz played for Yorkshire in County cricket, and India’s Anil Kumble have managed to take all available wickets in an innings before Ajaz.
“I think I am very fortunate. The stars have aligned for me to have an occassion like that here in Mumbai. To be born here and come back here and do it is pretty special. I’m in very illustrious company, with Kumble sir as well,” he said.
He said that he didn’t have any favorite wicket. Among his victims were India’s seniormost batters Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, both of whom fell in the same over on without scoring. “Don’t really have any one to be honest. Just trying to get into some good rhythm, be repetitive and ask good questions of batters,” he said.
