Mumbai-born Ajaz Patel: Never thought I would play against India

Ajaz Patel

Wellington: New Zealand's Mumbai-born left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel is thrilled at the prospect of turning up against India in the two-Test series.

The soft-spoken Patel, 31, said it is a fantastic moment in his career. "This is a huge opportunity for me to play against India. I never thought I would play against India so early as there were not too many matches scheduled against them," Patel said in Hindi on the sidelines of a promotional event on Wednesday.

Patel, who has played seven Tests, migrated to New Zealand in 1996 with his family.

He has been a proven performer in domestic cricket as his 235 wickets in 65 first-class games suggest. "When I came to New Zealand, I was greatly influenced by [Daniel] Vettori. He was my hero.

"And among modern day cricketers, [Ravindra] Jadeja is my favourite because I study him a lot. I am a huge admirer of Rangana Herath. I have tried to emulate both of them," said Patel.

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