IND vs NZ | ‘To be in great company of Laker and Kumble is very special’ – Sir Richard Hadlee congratulates Ajaz Patel on 10-wicket haul

New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel achieved a rare feat on Day 2 on the ongoing second Test against India in Mumbai. He became the third bowler in the game's history to pick all 10 wickets in a Test innings, after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble, returning 10/119 from his 47.5 overs in India's first innings effort of 325 all-out. That saw him surpass Sir Richard Hadlee's 9/52 against Australia in Brisbane in 1985, to become the holder of best returns in a Test innings for New Zealand.

The former Blackcaps great lauded the Mumbai born for a achieveing the special milestone.

“Congratulations to Ajaz on a superb bowling performance. It was a delight to watch; a well deserved reward, and a great moment for him, New Zealand cricket, and world cricket. To be in the great company of Jim Laker and Anil Kumble is very special indeed. Good luck to him and the team in the second innings," Hadlee said in a statement issued via NZ Cricket.

Laker had bagged 10/53 against Australia in Manchester in 1956, while Kumble returned 10/74 in the 1999 Delhi Test against Pakistan.

Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori also congratulated Patel for his brilliant spell.

“It’s an amazing achievement,” he said on ESPNcricinfo immediately after it happened.

“I’m trying to think how to rank New Zealand’s greatest achievements greatest in test cricket. I think a lot of people talk about Brendon McCullum’s 300 [302 against India in a draw at the Basin Reserve in 2014], but this surpasses that because it’s just been so rare.”

“To feel that anticipation and to see the team get around it and get a feel for it, it’s one of the special test cricket moments and for all those guys involved in it, it will be something they remember forever.”

Patel bagged four more wickets in the second innings to complete match returns of 14/225, which are the best ever returns for any bowler against India in Tests, surpassing Sir Ian Botham's 13/106 at the same venue in 1980.