5 memorable performance by visiting spinners in India since 2000
New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel made history on Saturday as he took all 10 wickets in India's first innings of the second Test. His exploits enabled the Kiwis to bowl out the hosts for 325 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Patel's birthplace. He became just the third bowler in the process to achieve the rare feat in international cricket after England’s Jim Laker and India’s Anil Kumble.
His figures of 10/119 became the best figures by a visiting bowler in India, and the second-best in the country after Kumble’s 10/74 against Pakistan in Delhi in 1999.
Ajaz Patel toiled away for 47.5 overs after India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first.
Ajaz Patel will surely cherish this day forever 🙌
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He began his 10-wicket haul by dismissing Shubman Gill before getting rid of Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli for ducks in one over. He then ended his Day 1 exploits by getting Shreyas Iyer's scalp for 14.
Then on Day 2, he took six remaining wickets, starting with Wriddhiman Saha and Ravichandran Ashwin in his first over of the day.
Ajaz Patel opens up on being included in an elite club and shares his feelings on Anil Kumble's message 🙌
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Indian spinners usually dominate the touring teams, but Ajaz Patel was the latest entrant on the list of special performances from visiting spinners.
Of course, Patel tops the charts, but let's take a look at five other top performances by touring spinners in India post 2000.
#5 Graeme Swann - 5/144 (Ahmedabad, 2012)
The 2012 Test between India and England will primarily be remembered for Cheteshwar Pujara's unbeaten double century. But Graeme Swann put in an impressive performance as he scalped five wickets in India's first innings.
He first broke the 134-run opening partnership by dismissing Gautam Gambhir before ending a 90-run stand as he castled Virender Sehwag, who scored 117.
The former England off-spinner went on to bag the big wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni to complete his fifer.
India went on to win the match, but it was an impressive performance from Swann nonetheless.
#4 Monty Panesar - 6/81 (Mumbai, 2012)
Monty Panesar spun a web around the hosts in the second Test of 2012 between India and England in both innings. Sir Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen notched up crucial centuries in a famous win for England.
The left-arm spinner took 5/129 in the first innings. After England ended up securing a 86-run lead, he took six in the second essay to set the visitors an easy 58-run target.
Panesar got the wickets of Sehwag, Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin and Zaheer Khan as India were bowled out for 142 in their second innings.
England went on to win the Test by 10 wickets and eventually nicked the series.
#3 Steve O'Keefe - 6/35 (Pune, 2017)
Steve O'Keefe was too hot to handle for India in the opening Test of the 2017 series against Australia in Pune. The Australian left-arm spinner took six wickets in each innings.
Half-centuries from Matt Renshaw and Mitchell Starc saw Australia score 260 on a tricky pitch before O'Keefe ran through India's batting.
He sent KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane packing before cleaning out the lower order, including the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja, as India were bowled out for 105.
Steve Smith's brilliant century then took the match away from India as O'Keefe took another six wicket-haul to help Australia win the match at a canter.
#2 Michael Clarke - 6/9 (Mumbai, 2004)
On a turning pitch at the Wankhede, a young Michael Clarke shocked India with his part-time off-spin. He ran riot in the second innings of the 2004 India-Australia Test.
Nathan Hauritz was Australia's primary spinner, but it was Clarke who did the damage.
India were 182/4 when Clarke got the wicket of Rahul Dravid. The hosts then collapsed and were bundled out for 205 as the former Aussie captain took six wickets for just nine runs.
India managed to win the match by just 13 runs, but Clarke's spell was one for the ages.
#1 Nathan Lyon - 8/50 (Bengaluru, 2017)
After Steve O'Keefe's heroics for Australia in Pune, it was Nathan Lyon's turn to torment India as the two teams faced off in the second Test in Bengaluru in the 2017 series.
The wily off-spinner took eight wickets in India's first innings as the hosts were bowled out for just 189.
Lyon accounted for the wickets of Pujara, Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and the top-scorer, KL Rahul. He was also good against the lower-middle order and the Indian tail, getting the scalps of Ashwin, Jadeja, Saha and Ishant Sharma.
Unfortunately, his heroics weren't enough as India went on to win the match and level the series.