New Zealand tweaker Ajaz insists visitors have firm faith in their abilities to counter India’s spin attack and succeed in series-deciding second Test at Wankhede
New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel
Mumbai-born New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel is confident of his team’s good showing against the Virat Kohli-led Indian team in the second Test at Mumbai, beginning Friday.
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Patel (2 not out off 23 balls) along with fellow spinner Rachin Ravindra (unbeaten 18 off 91) batted patiently on Day Five to help NZ draw the Kanpur Test on Monday.
New Zealand’s Tom Latham (left) celebrates his half-century with Will Young on Day Two of the first Test at Kanpur last week. Pic/PTI
Credit must also go to NZ’s night watchman William Somerville (36 off 110 balls), who battled hard throughout the fifth morning, sowing the seeds of an improbable draw.
High on confidence
Carrying that confidence into the second and final Test here, Patel, 33, who has represented his country in 10 Tests and claimed 29 wickets, insists he is not worried about the venue and pitch conditions.
“We have firm faith and belief that we can perform in all conditions. We know they [India] have good spin bowlers, but at the same time, we have the trust and belief that we have good players of spin,” Patel said during a virtual press conference on Wednesday.
‘Team effort needed’
“It is about playing the best cricket possible and everyone contributing like the last game. That’s how we look to play, it takes a team effort. We are playing good cricket at the moment and we are going to tap into that and be comfortable,” added Patel, who took three wickets in the Kanpur Test, while left-arm spinner Ravindra and off-spinner Somerville went wicketless.
“I think as a spin bowling unit we were somewhat guilty of possibly not keeping the stumps in play for long periods. At the same time, these [Indian] guys are good players of spin. They didn’t give us too much,” Patel concluded.
29
No. of wickets off-spinner Ajaz Patel has bagged for New Zealand in 10 Tests
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