New Delhi: New Zealand will face Afghanistan in the one-off Test match starting on September 9 in Greater Noida. After that, The Blackcaps will take on India in the three-match Test series in October.
The four upcoming Test matches will be crucial for the New Zealand team and they will be heavily depending on their spinners to deliver outstanding performances against India and Afghanistan. Ajaz Patel who picked a 10-wicket haul against India in Mumbai is one of the key players to watch out for in the upcoming matches.
He has played only five Test matches after the Mumbai Test and is not the first-choice spinner for New Zealand at home. He went wicketless in the Lord’s Test match but he picked up crucial wickets in the two-match Test series against Pakistan.
Ajaz played a key role for New Zealand in the Test series against Bangladesh. He took 14 wickets in two matches and helped the team to draw the Test series. He will work with the Sri Lankan legend Rangana Herath who has joined New Zealand’s coaching staff for the one-off Test.
‘I was a little bit disappointed after not getting many opportunities’: Ajaz Patel
Speaking to the media ahead of the Test match against Afghanistan, Ajaz said that it is difficult to get many opportunities in home conditions. He further added that he’s quite hungry to perform in the spin-friendly condition.
“If you ask all New Zealand spinners, it is difficult (lack of game time). Sometimes, obviously, you don’t get as many opportunities at home because of our home conditions,” Ajaz Patel said.
“But it breeds more hunger when you do come to conditions like this and you know conditions that are spin-friendly and you’re quite hungry to get out there and play and, I guess, put your best foot forward and perform. But it’s really important that you do prepare accordingly and prepare well” he added.
Speaking to the press in Greater Noida, New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel said that he’s quite hungry to perform against Afghanistan and India. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
