Ind vs NZ: Ajaz Patel rewrites test cricket history in India

MUMBAI: The New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel bagged 14 wickets for 225 in the Mumbai Test against India - the best match numbers for bowlers against India in a longer game format.

Ajaz remained the sole top performer for world number one New Zealand, the test world champion, after beating India in the title fight in June.

His 14 wickets against India exceeded the 13-106 of the English fast bowler Ian Botham in Mumbai in 1980.

The number of 14-225 is the second best for New Zealand in the test, as no other bowler got more than 12 wickets in a friendly match for the Kiwis except Ajaz and Sir Richard Hadlee, who got 15 wickets for 123 runs against Australia Brisbane a year 1985.

The numbers of the spinners are also the best for a guest player in Asia.

10-fer

Ajaz '10-119 in the first innings put him in an elite company along with two other bowlers, including Englishman Jim Laker (1956 v Australia) and Indian Anil Kumble (1999 v Pakistan).

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But his efforts were part of a losing battle.

He had a memorable homecoming nonetheless, including taking big wickets from Cheteshwar Pujara and home skipper Virat Kohli - who returned to the team after retiring as Twenty20 national captain and taking a brief hiatus - for Ducks.

Ajaz, 33, who moved from Mumbai to Auckland with his parents in 1996, has won 43 wickets for New Zealand in 11 games since debuting in 2018.