When Ajaz Patel boarded the flight to India, little did he know that he would be returning as a member of the coveted ‘10 wickets in an innings’ club. Only the third bowler after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble to have achieved the magnanimous feat, Patel’s homecoming is now etched in cricket folklore. But more on that later.

Kanpur was host to the first test. The effects of climate change strongly made its presence felt. As if rain disruptions were not enough, the gloomy, polluted and smoke-filled weather is not too far behind in being a major impediment in organizing cricket. But this was overshadowed by a thrilling last-ball draw on the fifth day, the first in Kanpur’s cricket history. 

The New Zealand tour was Rahul Dravid’s first assignment as the head coach. It was heartening to see him reinstate the culture of retired players handing debut caps to the debutantes. I wonder why this tradition was stopped in the first place. Reviving another age-old practice, he personally provided Rs 35,000 to the groundsmen in Kanpur as a token of appreciation for their hard labor. In Mumbai, the reward came from the team management.

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The contest between the top two ranked teams was riveting - a fight till the lights went out on the final day. In the absence of Kohli, Shreyas Iyer made his presence felt - becoming the only Indian to score a century and a half-century on debut. He was watchful, trusted his instincts and knew when to accelerate. New Zealand's defense was led by Tom Latham. He played out 428 balls for his 147 runs. Yes, you read that right. Quintessential Test innings.

Similar to the World Test Championship Final 2021, the contrasting approaches to bowling was evident - spin for the hosts and pace for the visitors. While Southee and Jamieson picking up 14 out of 17 wickets is an encouraging sign, the spin worries for the Blackcaps continue. Southee, who is on his third tour to India, produced a vicious spell on the morning of Day 2. His smart use of the crease to create different angles yielded him a five-wicket haul.

The Indian spin trio picked 17 out of 19 wickets, almost taking the team across the line. Ashwin now possesses more variations in his arsenal than a batter’s range of shots - it’s almost impossible to out think him, especially in subcontinent conditions. India would have closed the game, if not for Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel. Chasing 284, the Kiwi wickets kept tumbling as the day passed by. But the last wicket never came. The duo failed to surrender and batted their grit out to deny India a win.

The action moved to Mumbai after the nail-biting Kanpur Test. As Virat Kohli returned, so did the flair and flamboyance. It was absolute domination from Day 1. Mayank’s majestic 150 provided momentum and the bowlers took care of the rest. The Kiwis were without Williamson and it certainly had an impact. They were bundled for 62 in the first innings and could never recover, eventually losing by 372 runs.

The match, or rather the two tests, were eclipsed by an astounding feat by the Mumbai born Kiwi spinner Ajaz Patel. He took all of 10 Indian wickets in the first innings. Ajaz lacked consistency but bowled with excellent control and variation. It was like a chapter of dreams unfolding in a fairytale. A courageous fightback or a hopeless surrender? For me, the story of two tests will always be Ajaz's 10. 

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