BAN vs NZ, Ajaz Patel accomplishes 50 Test wickets: Stats
New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel reached his milestone of 50 Test wickets in the first Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet. The left-arm spinner finished the opening day with figures of 2/76. He touched the 50-wicket mark when he dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim. Overall, Bangladesh have started well as they finished with a score of 310/9 at stumps on Day 1.
10th New Zealand spinner to scalp 50 Test wickets
As per ESPNcricinfo, Ajaz became the 10th NZ men's spinner to claim 50 wickets in Test cricket. Playing his 15th Test match, the left-arm spinner has amassed 50 wickets at an average of 31.72. He owns a solitary fifer and three four-wicket hauls. Ajaz's best bowling figures of 10/119 came against India at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium in December 2021.
Most Test wickets among NZ bowlers
Richard Hadlee leads the wickets charts for the Kiwis in Test cricket with 431 scalps. He is followed by NZ captain Tim Southee with 370 wickets. The likes of Daniel Vettori (361), Trent Boult (317), and Neil Wagner form the top five wicket-takers for NZ in Test cricket. Ajaz's 10/119 against India are the best Test figures by a NZ bowler.
Fifth-fastest NZ bowler to accomplish 50 Test wickets
Kyle Jamieson became the fastest Kiwi bowler to scalp 50 Test wickets in just nine matches in 2021. Similarly, Ajaz has achieved the same feat in 15 Tests, becoming NZ's fifth-fastest bowler to 50 Test wickets. The only bowlers ahead of him are Jamieson (9), Shane Bond (12), Chris Martin (13) and Wagner (14). However, Ajaz is ahead of Boult, who took 16 Tests.
First left-arm spinner to take 10 wickets (Test innings)
England's Jim Laker was the first bowler to take all 10 wickets in a Test innings. The former off-spinner recorded figures of 10/53 against Australia in Manchester in 1956. Nearly 43 years later, the legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble achieved this feat at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, against Pakistan (10/74). In 2021, Ajaz became the first left-arm spinner to reach this landmark.
Notable records attached to him
Ajaz registered the best innings bowling figures by a visiting spinner in India (10/119). He is followed by Nathan Lyon (8/50 in 2017) and Jason Krejza (8/215 in 2008). Besides, Ajaz also has the best bowling figures in a Test innings against India. Former West Indies spinner Jack Noreiga held the previous record (9/95, Port of Spain, 1971).
