IND vs NZ: Ajaz Patel continues magic at Wankhede, breaks Sir Ian Botham's 43-year-old record

Ajaz Patel took the fifth fifer of his test career in the third IND vs NZ test in Mumbai.

The third IND vs NZ test has taken a dramatic turn as the hosts’ top and middle order crumbled in the chase of 147 runs in the final innings in Mumbai. Ajaz Patel has continued his terrific form with the ball in this test match, rattling the Indian batting lineup once again in the second innings.

Continuing his first-innings heroics when he registered the fifth fifer of his test career, Ajaz has now taken four wickets in the second innings until lunch on day 3.

Defending a small score of 147, the Kiwi left-arm spinner made an early impact by dismantling India’s middle-order leaving the hosts struggling at 92/6 at lunch. Patel claimed four crucial wickets—Shubman Gill (1), Virat Kohli (1), Sarfaraz Khan (1) and Ravindra Jadeja (6)—in a short span, setting the game for a dramatic finish.

Ajaz started his second innings brilliance by dismissing Gill with an arm ball, clean-bowling him as the batter shouldered his arms. He then had Kohli caught at first slip and removed Sarfaraz Khan with a deceptive full toss. To add to India’s misery, Patel broke the 42-run stand for the sixth wicket by dismissing Ravindra Jadeja, through sharp turn and bounce.

Ajaz Patel breaks Sir Ian Botham’s record

Thanks to another stellar bowling display in Mumbai, Ajaz Patel now holds the record for the most wickets by a visiting bowler at Wankhede Stadium in test cricket. This record was previously held by one of the greatest-ever all-rounders, Sir Ian Botham.

Ajaz Patel, with 23 wickets in four innings, has now surpassed Botham’s record of 22 wickets which he also claimed in four outings at the Wankhede. Botham had etched his name in the history books by taking three fifers across four innings. Botham’s second-best test bowling figures (7/48) came in England’s monumental 10-wicket win at Wankhede.

Playing his first test on this venue in 2021, Ajaz Patel created history by becoming only the third bowler in test cricket to take all ten wickets in an innings. Ajaz’s performance, however, ended up in a losing cause with India eventually completing the victory by 372 runs.

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