Ajaz Patel makes Wankhede Stadium his own, becomes most successful overseas bowler at a single venue in India
Ajaz Patel has literally made Wankhede Stadium his own! Quite a record to achieve!
New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel, who was born in Mumbai, has achieved quite a feat at the Wankhede Stadium. The spinner dismissed Ravindra Jadeja in the fourth and final innings of the ongoing third Test against India and as a result, Ajaz Patel took his 23rd wicket at the Wankhede Stadium. The 36-year-old has taken just two matches to take more than 20 wickets at the venue, and hence, he has now become the most successful overseas bowler at a single Test ground in India.
Ajaz Patel had earlier taken five wickets in the first innings of the ongoing Test, and in the second innings, he took a total of six wickets as India failed to chase down the total of 147. New Zealand, in the end, won the three-match series 3-0.
The New Zealand left-arm spinner has now taken 23 wickets at the ground, surpassing Ian Botham's tally of 22 wickets at the same venue. Ajaz Patel's tally of 24 wickets at the venue is also the best by an overseas Test bowler on any ground in India.
In December 2021, Ajaz Patel had become only the third bowler in the history of Test cricket to return with a ten-wicket haul in an innings after Jim Laker (1956) and Anil Kumble (1999).
He finished the Wankhede Test in 2021 with a stunning figures of 14/225 -- the best ever by a visiting bowler in India.
Overall at Wankhede Stadium, Ashwin leads the wicket taking charts as he has taken 41 Test wickets in 12 innings. He is followed by Anil Kumble (38 wickets in 14 innings), Kapil Dev (28 wickets in 21 innings), Harbhajan Singh (24 in 10 innings) and Kharsan Ghavri (23 wickets in 11 innings).
Speaking of Ajaz Patel, he has picked all 83 wickets of his career away from home, with 79 scalps coming in the Asian conditions.
Most Test wickets by an overseas bowler at an Indian ground
25* (2 Tests): Ajaz Patel at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
22 (2 Tests): Ian Botham at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
18 (2 Tests): Richie Benaud at Eden Gardens, Kolkata
17 (2 Tests): Courtney Walsh at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
16 (2 Tests): Richie Benaud at Nehru Stadium, Chennai
Speaking of the ongoing third and final Test between India and New Zealand, the hosts were unable to chase down the target of 147, and they lost the third Test by 25 runs.
New Zealand registered a series whitewash, and won the series 3-0. India's WTC chances have also taken a major hit after this home Test series loss.
