New Delhi: New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel created history in Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on Saturday as he became the third bowler in Test cricket to take 10 wickets in an innings.
Patel is the third bowler after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble to take 10 wickets in an innings in Test cricket. India lost all ten wickets against a magical spell by New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel. Ajaz finished with record-breaking figures of 10/119 from 47.5 overs.
India's Mayank Agarwal scored brilliant 150 runs under pressure while Axar Patel also registered his maiden half-century. Team India were bowled out for 325 runs in their first innings of the Mumbai Test.
With India scoring 325 in their first innings riding on Mayank Agarwal's 150 and a maiden half-century from Axar Patel (52), Siraj (4-0-19-3) rocked the Black Caps with a fiery and furious spell, getting three quick wickets.
Axar Patel (1/8), Ravichandran Ashwin (1/3) and Jayant Yadav (1/0) then kept the visitors on tenterhooks on a pitch that has both turn and bounce, which Ajaz used to a great effect during his historic figures of 47.5-12-119-10.
No marks for guessing that it is the best ever bowling figures in an innings by an overseas bowler as he equalled England off-spinner Jim Laker (10/53 vs Australia, 1956) and Anil Kumble (10/74 vs Pakistan, 1999).
However, it seems that his 10-wicket haul would be the first one in a losing cause as New Zealand still need 88 runs to avoid follow-on.
If Patel spun a web taking all 10 wickets bowling from the famous 'Tata End' as he used the rough created to extract turn and bounce, Siraj was right on the money coming from the opposite Garware Pavilion End.
One that straightened got Will Young while a well directed bouncer ended Tom Latham vigil early.
And then came the best delivery of the match -- one that angled in forcing Ross Taylor to jab at it and straightened enough to bit his bat and knock the off-stump back.
Siraj was on a hattrick but his strong leg before appeal after beating Henry Nicholls was negated by DRS.
It seemed New Zealand's resistance ended at 17 for 3 as every delivery seemed to have the number of a Black Caps batter. Whether it was Ashwin or Axar, they seemed unplayable and so did Jayant, who also got a wicket just before tea.
But the morning belonged to Ajaz, who got two quick wickets in the morning before Agarwal and Axar added 67 runs for the seventh wicket to take the score towards 300-run mark.
The best delivery of the six wickets that he got on the day, was one that got Ravichandran Ashwin out as he drew the batter forward and turned enough to clip the bails.
Ashwin hilariously appealed for DRS without realising that he has been bowled as he had thought that the bowler had appealed for caught behind.
The review was wasted as he had already asked for it and once he realised that he was beaten lock, stock and barrel, he didn't wait for the final verdict.
No wonder when Patel got Siraj as his 10th and final victim, Ashwin was seen giving him a standing ovation from the Indian dressing room as he led his team with the coveted ball in his hand.
(With PTI inputs)