India vs New Zealand: Ajaz Patel takes 'Perfect 10' but hosts bowl out Kiwis for 62 to inch towards win
FirstpostAt the end of the Day 2 of Mumbai Test, India were 69 for no loss, with the lead swelling to 332 in their second innings Mumbai: Mumbai-born New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel had an unforgettable afternoon when he entered the annals of Test cricket history with a 10-wicket haul but Indian bowlers made it a forgettable evening for him as well as his team by dismissing the visitors for a paltry 62, taking a massive stride towards a series victory. By keeping India’s first innings total down to a manageable level, Patel must have had a sense of elation but before the plethora of congratulatory messages on social media would stop coming, his batters just flattered to deceive as they managed to bat out only 28.1 overs. While Pujara will certainly value these welcome runs but it can’t be seen in isolation that it came when the pressure was already completely released due to a mammoth 263-run first innings lead. But little would Patel have known that it would turn into an anti-climax after Siraj’s opening burst which was as good as one saw in home Test matches where pitches aren’t conducive for pace bowling.