As they chased a challenging 332-run mark on Friday, December 1, New Zealand lost seven wickets for 113 runs. Now, on Day 5 of the first Test against Bangladesh in Sylhet, they need a miracle. Ajaz Patel, a Kiwi spinner, has promised that his squad will persevere and is not in the mood to give up.
After Day 4, Daryl Mitchell, who has been playing well lately, was still undefeated at 44. Ish Sodhi, skipper Tim Southee, and Ajaz Patel will be with him. The left-arm spinner stated that his team will not give up easily even if he acknowledges that the tourists had their work cut out for them.
“Obviously, tomorrow will include a lot of batting. Dazzler Mitchell is there, and he’s batted very well today. Additionally, we are aware of Ish’s (Sodhi) bat skills. I believe that we take great pride in persevering through the conflict. Thus, tomorrow promises to be an intriguing day. Day 4 stumps, Ajaz stated, “We’ll go out there and keep fighting and see where we get to.”
There are indications of deterioration of the pitch, as some balls turned far while others stayed low. Ajaz praised the Bangladeshi bowlers for consistently bowling in the good areas rather than pointing the blame at the surface.
“The wicket is not too awful. We just need to make sure that we have a solid game plan and attack the bowling. Their bowlers have been very disciplined, putting the ball in good areas and asking us good questions for extended periods of time. The subcontinent is always difficult because of the amount of spin, Ajaz said.
“It’s been demonstrated time and time again that the morning hours don’t have as much. Then, as the day wears on, it begins to spin a little bit more and kind of dry up in that top layer. Thus, it will be interesting to watch how things work out on the fifth day. The older ball is probably a little bit softer, and the new ball bites a little bit more, so that’s another thing to consider, he continued.
Essentially, as a spinner, you have to modify your strategy based on the surface: Ajaz Patel
In 2021, during the two-match Test series between India and New Zealand, Ajaz ended up taking the most wickets. The 35-year-old stressed the significance of adjusting to the available conditions and contrasted the surfaces on that tour with the one in Sylhet.
To be honest, the pitch varies depending on where you are. From one ground to another, it is distinct. We even played on two different surfaces when we were in India. We performed in two distinct cities—one in Mumbai and one in Kanpur. Hence, the key for a spinner is to really modify their approach based on the surface. And it’s simply about finding the correct pace and line on each unique wicket while also making sure you’re asking the greatest questions you can given the surface,” Ajaz clarified.
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