Ajaz Patel: Hope I’ve opened a door

Three weeks ago, Ajaz Patel experienced the biggest thrill of his cricketing career when he became only the third bowler in history to claim all 10 wickets in a Test innings. However, in a matter of few weeks, his ecstasy turned into agony after the Mumbai-born Kiwi left-arm spinner, who was the highlight of the Wankhede Test, despite the visitors losing the match and the series, was left out from the 13-member squad for the two Tests against Bangladesh.

Even as the joy was sinking in, the non-selection would be a nasty blow for Ajaz, who aims to bring about a spin revolution in New Zealand and hopes to inspire youngsters to take up spin bowling.

In a chat with Sunday mid-day organised by Amazon Prime Video before the selection for the Bangladesh series, Ajaz opened up on his new-found celebrity status, his ambition to become an all-conditions spinner, his efforts to become a better batsman and his hopes of opening up doors for Asian-origin.

Edited excerpts from an interview.

Has it all sunk in?
It will be sinking in for a long time. You don't even dream about such things because you know how hard it is to attain. It is more than a fairytale to be able to do it against a team like India at Mumbai, which is my birthplace.

How has been the reaction back home?
Everyone is very excited. They are extremely happy for what I have achieved. But they are also happy to be able to see me and connect with me, share that joy with me. For me, it would have been special to share the joy personally, but with lockdowns and isolations over here [in NZ], it has been a bit disjointed. But it is cool to be back home and spend time with my family and my daughter.

What was the most touching gesture you experienced?
I received some very, very humbling messages from some of the greats of the game. It was very humbling to receive a message from Sir Richard Hadlee and Anil Kumble sir. Also, the response and respect that I got from the Indian team and R Ashwin. It is quite difficult to explain the all-10 experience. To see all those greats sitting there and watching me bowl... I still feel weird thinking about it.

Were you a bit disappointed not being able to sign any autographs or give selfies at Wankhede due to COVID rules?
In the current situation that we are in, we are not supposed to get closer to anyone for everyone's safety. At the same time, I was a youngster at some point, and I know how special it was to get an autograph from someone playing international cricket. For me, I want to leave back a special memory wherever I can. For us, it is no big deal, but for someone else, it might make their day, week or month. In the COVID situation, we had to keep all this at bay. So, to a certain degree, it was disappointing, but it was the situation that didn't allow us.

How has been your experience on New Zealand streets? Do they recognise you?
In New Zealand, it is quite different. Even if people do recognise you, they will still not approach you. But you certainly know that they recognise you. Like, I was walking through the airport on my way home from Christchurch to Auckland. There were a few individuals who came up to me and said, ‘congratulations, very well bowled. It was amazing to watch you' and stuff like that. So, it was quite humbling for me. I definitely get a lot more attention than I used to.

Will things be better now for Asian-origin players?
I hope to inspire youngsters to pursue the game a lot more and work hard to drive their dreams. I don't think there is a lack of opportunities [for Asian-origin players in NZ], but I hope I have opened a door where they can say, ‘look, I have seen him do it, and I don't see why I can't do it'. [I hope] to be some sort of a role model and influence them to follow their dreams and passion. I would love to sit back and watch someone achieve
big on an international stage, and hopefully say that, ‘I saw that spell from Ajaz and it really inspired me to work hard'.

Were you surprised with the all 10 wickets feat?
Yeah...I suppose it does to a certain extent, but I also understand something like that [all 10 wickets] does not happen very often. When it happens, everyone are a bit shocked and surprised, especially for someone like me who came from nowhere and being able to achieve something like that. I was playing my 11th Test. When you look at some of the greats of the game, they may have taken 600, 700 wickets, but they haven't been able to achieve that [all 10 wickets]. But those who managed to achieve that were some of the greats. So, to be able to achieve this in such an early stage of my career, I suppose must have blown a few people away. I know it is a long road ahead for me in terms of what I want to achieve.

Which Amazon series are you fond of?
I have heard about the Aussie change room documentary where they follow their cricket team. So, that sounds like an exciting watch.

Do you now expect to get more opportunities to bowl in NZ?
Yeah, of course. My passion for New Zealand is pretty strong. I want to contribute and play as much cricket as I can whether it is at home or away. It [selection] is not in my hands, but what I can ensure is that every time I step on the ground, I put results on the board. So, I want to be a consistent member of the New Zealand Test team and play everywhere in the world. I also realised that batting is one aspect that I need to improve so that I can be an asset.

‘I love Mumbai's chicken lollipop'

Ajaz Patel was just eight when he left Mumbai shores to settle with his family in New Zealand. However, the Mumbaikar in him is still alive and kicking. "I like everything about Mumbai...the hustle and bustle. The raunak (vibrancy) that the city brings. The food obviously is amazing. You can find little corners of Mumbai where they serve amazing food. I love coming to Mumbai for holidays. Just the accessibility of the city is amazing. There is no restriction even if it's one in the morning. If you are hungry, there is certainly a place which is open. Chicken lollipop is my favourite. It's one of those things that brings back a lot of childhood memories. It is my favourite hands down and it is a must to have whenever I visit Mumbai," said the Auckland-based Ajaz.