The Indian team has made a strong start to their season by winning the first Test match against Bangladesh. Over the next few months, India will play a continuous series of 10 Tests, and they won the first match in Chennai easily by a margin of 280 runs. Now, the focus shifts to the second Test match in Kanpur. While the team and each player usually concentrate on one match at a time, they have already caught a glimpse of the looming threat next month, which could become a significant concern for captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli, both of whom performed poorly in the first Test.
On the afternoon of Sunday, September 22, while the Indian team celebrated their victory, around 900 kilometers away in Galle, Sri Lankan batsmen were facing difficulties on their home ground. It was the fourth day of the first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, and the Sri Lankan team was batting in their second innings. They had scored 240 runs with four wickets down by the third day and appeared to be in a good position. However, they lost their remaining six wickets in the first session, collapsing to 309 runs, thanks to Ajaz Patel’s exceptional bowling.
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Ajaz Patel’s Devastation
The Indian-origin left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel wreaked havoc on the fourth day’s pitch. On Sunday morning, he took five of Sri Lanka’s six wickets. He started by dismissing captain Dhananjaya de Silva and continued his impressive form by taking out Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Ramesh Mendis, and No. 10 batsman Lahiru Kumara. On the third day, he had also claimed the wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne, who scored a brilliant 83 runs. In total, Ajaz took six wickets for 90 runs in 30 overs and had already taken two wickets in the first innings, finishing the match with eight wickets.
Following their tour of Sri Lanka, New Zealand will visit India for a three-match Test series. Starting in October, spinners will again be crucial, with Ajaz Patel being a key player for New Zealand. If he maintains his form during the India tour, it will pose a significant threat to India’s top two batsmen, Rohit and Virat. In the first Test against Bangladesh, Virat scored only 23 runs, while Rohit managed just 11. It’s possible they might regain their form before the New Zealand series, but Ajaz Patel will still be a concern.
Threat to Rohit, Virat, and Shubman
The threat arises from both batsmen’s recent records against left-arm spinners. Over the past three years, Rohit has faced 473 balls from left-arm spinners, scoring 277 runs but getting out eight times. Virat Kohli has faced 686 balls, scoring 272 runs while being dismissed nine times. This threat also extends to Shubman Gill, who scored a century in Chennai. Before the Chennai Test, Gill managed only 202 runs off 481 balls against left-arm spinners, getting out ten times.
Will He Shine Again in Mumbai?
Ajaz Patel is remembered for his historic performance during the 2021 India tour, where he took all 10 wickets in the first innings of the Mumbai Test, becoming only the third bowler in cricket history to achieve this feat. Among the dismissed batsmen were Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who will all play against New Zealand again this time. Kohli was even dismissed without scoring. Patel also took three wickets in the second innings. This time, another Test will be played between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium, making Ajaz’s performance a focal point once again.