Team India has kicked off its cricketing season in great style with a resounding victory over Bangladesh in the first match of the Test series, winning by a substantial margin of 280 runs in Chennai. With a packed schedule ahead, featuring 10 consecutive Test matches in the coming months, the focus is now shifting to the second Test, set to take place in Kanpur. While each player and the team remain committed to concentrating on one match at a time, they have already started to recognize a looming challenge that may unsettle captain Rohit Sharma and star batsman Virat Kohli, both of whom faced difficulties in the opening match. This looming threat could also pose significant challenges during the upcoming India-New Zealand series.
As Team India celebrated its victory in Chennai on September 22, Sri Lanka was grappling with its own struggles in Galle, approximately 900 kilometers away. On the fourth day of the first Test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, the host team faltered in their second innings. Having managed to score 240 runs and lost just 4 wickets by the end of the third day, Sri Lanka appeared to be in a solid position. However, the situation took a dramatic turn in the first session of the final day as the team crumbled, losing all 6 remaining wickets to finish at 309 runs. This dramatic collapse was primarily due to the exceptional performance of New Zealand’s Ejaz Patel.
Ejaz Patel’s Brilliant Performance
Ejaz Patel, a left-arm spinner of Indian descent, turned the tide on the fourth day with an outstanding display of bowling. He took 5 out of the 6 wickets that fell on that morning, commencing his spree by dismissing captain Dhananjaya de Silva and subsequently orchestrating a near-complete collapse of the Sri Lankan batting order. His next victims included Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Ramesh Mendis, and Lahiru Kumara, the number 10 batsman. On the third day prior, Patel had also claimed the crucial wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne, who had scored an impressive 83 runs. Overall, his remarkable figures from the match included 6 wickets for 90 runs across 30 overs and 2 wickets in the first innings, culminating in a total of 8 wickets, showcasing his exceptional prowess in the first Test.
After concluding their tour of Sri Lanka, New Zealand will head to India for a highly-anticipated three-match Test series starting in October. During this series, spinners will undoubtedly play a pivotal role, and Ejaz Patel will be the key player to watch out for against India. If he maintains this form while playing in India, it will serve as a significant warning for India’s leading batsmen, Rohit and Virat. In their recent outing against Bangladesh, Virat scored only 23 runs while Rohit managed just 11. While both are hoping to reclaim their form before facing New Zealand, the challenge posed by Patel remains formidable.
The Challenge for Rohit, Virat, and Shubman
The statistics reveal a concerning trend for both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli against left-arm spin bowlers over the past three years. Rohit has faced 473 balls from left-arm spinners, scoring only 277 runs and getting out 8 times. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has encountered 686 balls, managing 272 runs but losing his wicket 9 times. The threat is not limited to just these two players; Shubman Gill, who recently scored a century in Chennai, will also need to be cautious. Before the Chennai Test, Gill had scored only 202 runs off 481 balls against left-arm spinners, also falling victim 10 times.
Will Ajaz Patel Shine Again?
Ajaz Patel is remembered for his historic performance during the 2021 India tour, where he achieved the remarkable feat of taking all 10 wickets in the first innings of the Mumbai Test. This made him only the third bowler in cricket history to accomplish such a feat. In that match, he dismisssed notable batsmen, including Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill, with Kohli not even managing to open his account. Patel also took 3 more wickets in the second innings. This time, as the two teams prepare to face off again at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, all eyes will be on Ajaz to see if he can replicate his extraordinary form.
