New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel opened on his battle with star India wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant during the three-Test series against India. Patel took 11 wickets for the Kiwis in the third and final Test in Mumbai and was named the Player of the Match.
Pant was phenomenal against Ajaz, but the rest of the batters struggled to get going, and New Zealand registered a 25-run win over the Men in Blue at the Wankhede Stadium.
“I enjoyed my contest with him in Mumbai. He was coming down the track to hit me when I was bowling fast and flatter. When I started bowling slowly, he stayed back in the crease to take advantage. I had to bowl fast again,” Patel was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Patel also revealed how Pant used different plans for the pitches in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai.
“It was a bit of cat and mouse between the batter and the bowler. He read the conditions in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai well and adjusted his batting style. He batted differently in all the games, to be fair,” he added.
Ajaz called Pant a special cricketer. “He picked the right balls in Bengaluru. In Pune, he was cautious against Mitchell Santer and waited for my overs. He took an advantage in Mumbai when I was bowling with a certain plan. He is a very, very special cricketer. You have to be careful against him, as he can hit you for fours and sixes in no time.”
Pant scored two consecutive fifties in the Mumbai Test, but the hosts were dismissed for 121 runs while chasing 147 in the fourth innings, and the Kiwis completed a 3-0 series whitewash over Rohit Sharma’s side.