Former India captain and coach, Anil Kumble welcomed Ajaz Patel to an elite club of players to take 10 wickets in an innings in Test cricket history. Kumble hailed Ajaz's feat of 10 wickets in the first innings of the second Test against India as the Mumbai-born spinner tormented the Indian batting line-up. Ajaz joins Kumble and England spinner Jim Laker as the only three players to take all 10 wickets in an innings of a Test match.
Kumble wrote a heartfelt message wherein he also praised Ajaz's "special effort".
"Welcome to the club #AjazPatel #Perfect10 Well bowled! A special effort to achieve it on Day1 & 2 of a test match. #INDvzNZ."
Kumble had claimed all 10 wickets in a single innings against Pakistan in the second Test in Delhi in 1999.
Laker was the first bowler in the history of Test cricket to achieve the feat in the 1956 fourth Ashes Test in Manchester.
Laker was left stranded at 19 wickets in that match as he claimed nine in the first innings of the same Test vs Australia.
Ajaz continued from where he left off on Day 1. He started on a bright note and added to his overnight tally of four wickets with regular breakthroughs in the first session.
Despite Mayank Agarwal scoring a brilliant 150, Ajaz sparkled as he grabbed wickets from the other end. Once Axar Patel departed for a half-century, Ajaz came into his own and sparked a collapse, with Mohammed Siraj being his 10th victim.