'Ajaz wasn’t supposed to play this Test, just destiny would have it' - Ravi Ashwin on NZ spinner's incredible achievement

In the second Test match against India at Wankhede, New Zealand’s Ajaz Patel scripted history by exuding his sheer flair. He picked up ten wickets in India’s first innings and blew the trumpet of his repertoire. Thus, post the Mumbai Test, India’s ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin caught up with Patel for a conversation.

In a video posted by BCCI, Ashwin was seen having some intriguing conversation with the New Zealand spinner. He opened up on Ajaz’s exceptional outing in the Test match and also called it a game of destiny as the Kiwi bowler wasn’t supposed to play the game but ended up registering his name in the history books that will be cherished forever.

“Destiny they say is extremely powerful. And here I have a man who is born in Mumbai, seen the maidan cricket, very young left to New Zealand. Who knew he would come back to Wankhede and he wasn’t supposed to play this Test match by the way. We all thought Mitchell Santner was going to play, he was warming up in the morning and I know what else to call it, just destiny would have it,” Ashwin said before congratulating Ajaz on his incredible achievement.

It has been a very special outing for me: Ajaz Patel

The Mumbai-born left-arm spinner on Saturday, December 4 became only the third bowler in the history of Test cricket to take all 10 wickets in an innings. Jim Laker and Anil Kumble had previously achieved this feat.

Patel opened up on his performance and said, “It has been a very special outing for me. It is a dream to play here at Wankhede and to be able to come here and do something like that is very special not only for me but my family back home as well.”

Ashwin also asked the New Zealand spinner about switching to spin bowling as he had initially begun his career as a seamer. Replying to the same, Patel said that he had made a great choice by opting to spin bowling.

“I made a great choice to switch to spin bowling about ten years ago now. It’s been a special journey since. It’s been a lot of hard work as you know it takes a lot of time to develop the craft,” Patel said.

When asked about the secret of clinching ten wickets in an innings, the spinner reckoned, “I just count myself fortunate. For me it was simple, keeping the balls in a good area for long periods of time. We know you guys are amazing players of spin. So you guys did put a lot of pressure on me. Because as soon as I missed you guys were on top of me.”