New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel has written his name in the record books by scoring the most runs by a visiting bowler at one venue in India. The left-arm finger-spinner is now the highest-scoring overseas bowler in India.
The 36-year-old achieved the feat on Sunday (November 3) during the ongoing third and final Test between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. With just 25 wickets at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium, Ajaz Patel has now overtaken England’s Ian Botham who has taken 22 wickets at the same venue.
Australia’s Richie Benaud is third with 18 wickets at the Eden Gardens, while West Indies’ Courtney Walsh is third with 17 wickets at the Wankhede Stadium. Benaud made the list twice with 16 wickets at Chennai’s Nehru Stadium.
Most wickets by a visiting bowler at one venue in India:
Episode 25: Ajaz Patel and Wankhede
22: Ian Botham at Wankhede
18: Richie Benaud, Eden Gardens
17: Courtney Walsh at Wankhede
16: Richie Benaud, Chennai
Meanwhile, Ajaz Patel joined an elite group of New Zealand bowlers by becoming only the third from his country to achieve as many ten-wicket hauls, after Richard Hadlee (9) and Daniel Vettori (3).
Ajaz Patel joins an elite company with many on-wicket hauls in India
Furthermore, the left-arm spinner became only the second bowler after Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq in 1999 to claim 10 wickets multiple times in India. Ajaz also became only the third New Zealand spinner to score two five-wicket hauls in a Test match.
Notably, New Zealand spinners who have scored five wickets twice in a Test include Daniel Vettori, who achieved the feat twice – first with figures of 5/62 and 7/87 against Australia in Auckland in 2000, and then 6/ 70 and 6/100 against Bangladesh at Chattogram in 2004.
Most recently, Mitchell Santner recorded 7/53 and 6/104 against India in the Pune Test and now Ajaz has joined the elite list with an impressive 5/103 and 5/52 against India at the Wankhede Stadium.
On the other hand, in a historic moment, the Mumbai Test marked the first time a left-arm spinner had taken five wickets in four overs. Ravindra Jadeja led the way with 5/65 in the first innings and Ajaz Patel 5/103 in the second.
“Spin bowling is all about rhythm”
In the third innings, Jadeja again struck with 5/55 and Ajaz returned with another six in the fourth innings at the Wankhede Stadium. After winning the Man of the Match award, Ajaz Patel said, “Spin bowling is all about rhythm. When you’re in a rhythm like that, you have to make the most of it.”
