New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel was born in a Gujarati family in Jogeshwari, a suburb in Mumbai, with his father Yunus working in the referigeration business before migrating with his family in 1996.
New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel created history on Saturday (December 4) in the city of his birth – Mumbai – by becoming only the third bowler in the history of cricket to bag all 10 wickets in an innings after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble. Born in the suburbs of Jogeshwari in Mumbai, Ajaz was born to a Gujarati family with his father Yunus working in a modest refrigeration business.
Ajaz’s family shifted to New Zealand at a young age when his whole family migrated to NZ in 1996, where the youngster encouraged by his uncle Sayeed Patel enrolled into the Suburbs New Lynn Cricket Club in Auckland – where his cricketing journey began. Initially, Ajaz wanted to be a fast bowler but former New Zealand spinner Dipak Patel told him to take up spin instead and he turned into a left-arm spinner.
Ajaz’s success in international cricket has been built around a solid domestic base. He was the highest wicket-taker in first-class cricket in New Zealand for three years before he got called into the national side in July 2018. He was the star of Central Stags’ title-winning performance that year with 48 wickets at an average of just 21.52
Ajaz became only the fifth Indian-origin cricketer to play for New Zealand since Ted Badcock, Tom Puna, Ish Sodhi and Jeet Raval. Ajaz played for Auckland ‘A’ without much luck and when he moved to Central Districts, making his debut for them in 2012.
Ajaz kept performing for Central Districts, picking up 16 five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket match hauls. 2018 was a great year for the spinner as he finished as the leading wicket-taker in Plunket Shield – 48 wickets in 9 games.
Ajaz was awarded with the men’s Domestic Player of the Year. While his maiden game for New Zealand was low-profile in the T20Is, Patel made his presence felt straightaway in the longest format as he bagged the ‘Man of the Match’ award on Test debut. The 33-year-old picked up seven wickets – including a maiden Test five-wicket haul in the second innings to stun Pakistan in a thriller by four runs at Abu Dhabi.
On Saturday, Ajaz became only the third bowler in the history of the game after Jim Laker of England in 1956 and Anil Kumble of India in 1999 to bag all 10 wickets in a single innings to bundle out India for 325 at the Wankhede Stadium.
Ajaz, who is playing in his 11th Test, had only two five wicket hauls and a best match haul of seven wickets before Saturday’s feat. He bowled four separate spells of 24-10-57-4, 5-0-16-0, 6-0-16-2, 12.5-2-30-4 and got his 10th and final wicket in the form of Mohammed Siraj, who tried a slog and was caught by another player of Indian origin Rachin Ravindra.
