India vs NZ, 2nd Test: Bowlers shine on Day 2
What's the story
Bowlers made merry on Day 2 of the ongoing Wankhede Test between India and New Zealand.
A total of 16 wickets fell across three sessions, with Ajaz Patel bagging 10.
He became the third-ever player in Test history to take 10 wickets in an innings.
India still managed to score in excess of 300 runs.
Thereafter, the Kiwis were bundled out for just 62.
Day 2
How did Day 2 pan out?
Ajaz struck early on Day 2, removing Wriddhiman Saha and R Ashwin.
India crossed the 300-run mark, riding on substantial knocks from Mayank Agarwal and Axar Patel.
They were bowled out for 325 as Ajaz scripted history.
NZ perished on 62, with Mohammed Siraj and R Ashwin decimating the Kiwis.
Mayank and Cheteshwar Pujara came out to bat for India (69/0) before stumps.
Record
Ajaz Patel takes all 10 wickets
Ajaz became only the third bowler after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble in Test history to have taken all 10 wickets in an innings.
England's Laker was the first bowler to do so. The former off-spinner recorded figures of 10/53 against Australia in 1956.
The legendary leg-spinner Kumble achieved this feat in 1999 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, against Pakistan (10/74).
Do you know?
Best innings figures by a NZ bowler in Test cricket
Ajaz now has the best innings bowling figures by a New Zealand bowler in Test cricket. The former stood out with phenomenal figures of 10/119. Ajaz broke the record of Sir Richard Hadlee, who took 9/52 against Australia in 1985.
Feats
Other records broken by Ajaz
In the first innings, Ajaz registered his third Test five-for in Asia, the joint-third-most by a Kiwi bowler with Tim Southee.
The duo is behind Daniel Vettori (8) and Sir Richard Hadlee (5).
As per Cricbuzz, Ajaz has become the first NZ spinner to take a five-for in the first innings of a Test in India (previous best: 4/100 by Jeetan Patel in 2012).
Twitter Post
Ajaz earns praise from the Indian legend
Welcome to the club #AjazPatel #Perfect10 Well bowled! A special effort to achieve it on Day1 2 of a test match. #INDvzNZ
— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) December 4, 2021
Bowlers
Indian bowlers struck in quick succession
Siraj made early inroads in the NZ batting line-up.
He removed Will Young (4), Tom Latham (10), and Ross Taylor (1) in the space of seven deliveries.
The right-arm seamer was on fire in his four-over spell (3/19).
Meanwhile, Axar Patel and R Ashwin took six wickets between them.
Off-spinner Jayant Yadav also chipped in with a wicket.
Ashwin
Ashwin overtakes Shaun Pollock in terms of Test wickets
Ashwin was the pick of India's bowlers in the first innings.
He picked up four wickets for just eight runs (eight overs). The tally includes two maiden overs.
The senior off-spinner raced to 423 wickets in Test cricket.
He surpassed the legendary Shaun Pollock on the list of wicket-takers (Tests).
The latter had finished his career with 421 Test wickets.
Duo
Pujara and Mayank returned unbeaten
India chose to bat in the second innings instead of enforcing the follow-on.
Notably, top-order batter Pujara was promoted as an opener. He returned unbeaten along with Mayank.
Toward the day's end, the BCCI informed that Shubman Gill did not take the field as a precautionary measure.
The Indian opener had suffered a blow on his right elbow while fielding in the first innings.