Ajaz, 10-for club member, ready to achieve greater success in India

Greater Noida: Despite achieving a rare feat by joining an esteemed club of only two other bowlers - Jim Laker and Anil Kumble - who have taken ten wickets in an innings in their last Test in India, it must be a strange feeling for Ajaz Patel to have missed more Tests than he has played since then. However, as is often the case for New Zealand spinners, Patel has accepted his fate with grace and has continued on with his life.

A late bloomer in international cricket — Patel made his Test debut in 2018 at 30 — the Indian-origin left-arm spinner has only played 16 Tests in all and five since claiming 10/119 in the first innings against India in his city of birth, Mumbai, in December 2021. These Tests have predominantly come in Asia, where traditionally spin-friendly conditions necessitate fielding at least two spinners.

Now back in India for the one-off Test against Afghanistan at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex beginning on Monday, Patel should therefore relish the spotlight in the coming weeks. Following this assignment against the Afghans, the Kiwis will travel to Sri Lanka for two Tests before returning to India to take on Rohit Sharma’s team in three Tests.

“It’s always special to come back to India, especially after my last game here. If you ask all New Zealand spinners, it is difficult. You don’t get as many opportunities at home because of the conditions. But also, I guess it breeds more hunger when you do come to conditions like this,” Patel said on the sidelines of their first training session here.

In the long breaks that Patel has had to endure between his Test appearances, he has tried to fine-tune his skills. “We are in a professional environment. For us, it is really important to keep growing. Obviously, you are a little disappointed when you don’t get as many opportunities, but it is still about growing your game. Since the 10 wickets, I’ve remodelled my run-up and looked to get better. It is about making sure you are ready when that next opportunity comes,” said Patel.

Helping Patel through this busy period of cricket in Asia will be former Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath, who has been roped in as a consultant. Given Herath’s expertise on particularly left-arm orthodox spin, it is quite natural for Patel to be chuffed about learning more tricks of the trade from the wily Sri Lankan.

“If you look at me and him, we are pretty similar in terms of build and body type,” Patel observed. “When I was developing as a spinner, I watched him with a lot of admiration. It is really special to have him here. It is a great opportunity for me to spend some time with him and really understand how he crafted spin bowling. He was obviously a phenomenal bowler. It is a great opportunity to learn a lot from him.”