Black Caps v India: Ajaz Patel savours return to hometown Mumbai, three years on from historic 10-wicket haul

Ajaz Patel of New Zealand celebrating the wicket of Virat Kohli. Photosport

Three years on from writing himself into cricket folklore, Black Caps spinner Ajaz Patel is savouring a return to the scene of his history-making 10-wicket haul against India.

In December 2021, Patel became the first New Zealander, and just the third player ever, to take all 10 wickets in a test innings, when he returned 10/119 at Wankhede Stadium, with match figures of 14/225.

That feat leaves Patel behind only England’s Jim Laker (10/53 in 1956) and India’s Anil Kumble (10/74 in 1999) on the list of the best bowling figures in the game’s history.

Making his display even more significant was the fact it came in Mumbai, the city where Patel was born, and lived in until he was eight, when he and his family moved to New Zealand.

Now, with the Black Caps 2-0 up in their three test series against their hosts – New Zealand’s maiden series win on Indian soil – the upcoming finale is the perfect victory lap for the 36-year-old, and one that’s significance isn’t lost on him.

“It’s certainly emotional,” Patel professed. “Being back in Mumbai is always quite special.

“It’s a place I call home as well. Having the opportunity to play here again is special. To be honest, after my 10-for, I wasn’t sure if I’d get another opportunity to play here again in my career.

“I’m very grateful that the BCCI have scheduled a game here, and I get to be back home again for a little while.”

History-making achievements aside, Patel’s career has been a peculiar one.

For a start, in the three years since his 10-wicket haul, he’s only played a further nine tests – and not one of them in New Zealand. In fact, across his 20-test career, Patel has never taken a wicket playing at home.

Had any other player from any other nation been the third in history to do what Patel’s done, their life would undoubtedly have been changed.

But given his own low-key nature, combined with New Zealand’s laid-back approach to sporting stardom in terms of cricket, Patel has been happy to keep the status quo.

“To be honest, I don’t think [my life] has changed too much. It’s still very much the same.

“I guess after the 10-for, I haven’t had as many opportunities to play. When you do get an opportunity to play, it is very special. You never take it for granted.

“I guess I get recognised a little bit more here and there. The craze for the sport [in New Zealand] is probably not the same as India.

“New Zealand is a massive sporting nation. We love our sport, everyone gets around every sport. It’s a small place, but we like to achieve beyond our means.

“For us, it’s special to go out and represent the country.”

However, Patel isn’t back in his hometown on holiday.

While the Black Caps may hold an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-test series, only a whitewash will suffice if New Zealand are to have any hope of reaching the 2025 World Test championship final.

And while spin was always going to play a decisive role in determining this series’ victor, Patel took the back seat in Pune, where Mitchell Santner played the unlikely hero with a 13-wicket haul to dismiss the hosts twice in New Zealand’s win.

At present, New Zealand sit fourth on the standings, with India and Australia holding the top two spots in the race to reach the final.

However, given those two sides will meet in a five-test series over the summer, and will therefore take points off one another, New Zealand have a mathematical chance – provided they win in Mumbai, and beat England 3-0 at home next month.

That situation is the same as the Black Caps had in 2020/21, when Gary Stead’s side needed to beat the West Indies and Pakistan in four successive tests – and did – before beating India at Southampton.

And with Stead also making it clear his side can’t take their collective foot off the gas, Patel outlines that the Black Caps must remain focused to whitewash their hosts.

“When you talk about the mood, we have to be pretty happy,” he said.

“We know how tough a task it is to win against India at home, let alone win a series. To be able to do that has been very special. It’s certainly taken a whole team effort to be able to do that.

“Moving into this game, it’s really important we start again, and forget about what’s gone, put that to bed, so we can focus on the task in front of us.”

Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News.