The first two days of the second Test was all about Ajaz Patel picking up all 10 wickets of India in the first innings. India were bowled out for 325 as Patel created history at the Wankhede. Meanwhile, Axar Patel was key for India getting upto that score. He scored his maiden Test fifty and played his part in taking India to that score.
The first ball that he faced in his innings was the hat-trick ball from Ajaz Patel. The left-arm spinner got New Zealand off to a brilliant start on Day 2 of the Mumbai Test, dismissing Wriddhiman Saha (27) and Ravichandran Ashwin (0) off consecutive deliveries. Axar went in to face the hat-trick ball.
Axar and Mayank added 67 to get India out of trouble. After Agarwal was dismissed for 150, Axar went on to complete his maiden Test fifty. He spoke about facing the hat-trick ball from Patel at the end of the day’s play for BCCI.
Did Not Get Time To Think Much: Axar Patel On Facing Hat-Trick Ball
From maiden Test fifty to the "dream ball" secret đź‘Ź đź‘Ť@akshar2026 & @mdsirajofficial discuss it all after #TeamIndia's superb show on Day 2 of the @Paytm #INDvNZ Test at the Wankhede. đź‘Ś đź‘Ś – By @28anand
Full interview 🎥 🔽https://t.co/JRpxiw8Jq2 pic.twitter.com/pEbSVMGQil
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 4, 2021
“I actually didn’t get much time to think. I was wearing my pads and then suddenly I had to go out and play the hat-trick ball. Mayank was set and he told me that the more you bat, it will get easier. So I just decided to spend some time out in the middle. And once I got my eye in, I started playing my strokes as well” said Axar.
He then picked up a couple of wickets as India bowled out the Kiwis for 62. Mohammed Siraj picked three early wickets to give India a great start while Ravichandran Ashwin picked up four in his spell. Jayant Yadav in his comeback Test match picked up a wicket as well.
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