Ajaz Patel, excited to work with Rangana Herath,  “I kind of watched him with a lot of admiration while developing and growing my spin.”

Ajaz Patel, a frontline left-arm spinner, will be in the starting lineup for all six of New Zealand’s Test matches over the course of the next few months, after having appeared in just five of the team’s 19 previous games. But, the 35-year-old has much more to look forward to than that. Rangana Herath, the legendary spin bowler from Sri Lanka, will be serving as the team’s spin-bowling coach for the first three of those Tests, giving Patel the once-in-a-life opportunity to learn a great deal about cricket.

Patel described the similarities he could see between himself and Herath and that it was an almost unmatched experience to be able to learn spin bowling from the Sri Lankan legend.

“Our physical types and builds are fairly comparable, if you were to compare Rangana and Me. As I was refining and expanding my spin, I found myself admiring him in a way. It is truly a great pleasure to have him here, especially for me. Spending time with him and learning how he created spin bowling is a fantastic opportunity. It’s just a terrific opportunity for me personally and to learn a lot from him since he was obviously very, very successful and a phenomenal bowler,” Patel was reported as saying.

Patel also acknowledged that even though he doesn’t receive as many opportunities as he would like to play back home in Australia, there is an unquenchable desire to perform at the highest level when given the chance to travel to a country that is conducive to spin.

“It is challenging, according to every spinner in New Zealand. Obviously, sometimes living situations at home mean that opportunities aren’t as plentiful. However, when you find yourself in situations like these—you know, situations that are conducive to spinning—you get even more eager to play, give it your all, and provide a fantastic performance. However, it’s crucial that you make adequate and thorough preparations. Thus, all that matters is to enter these activities with a genuine sense of enjoyment and to make the most of the circumstances,” said Patel.

It’s always about becoming better and being prepared:  Ajaz Patel

The left-arm spinner also shared his feelings about not being a regular fixture in the red-ball setup, despite a fantastic ten-wicket performance against India in December 2021. Despite the setback, he seemed to have a good attitude on life, which made it evident that he was more than willing to learn and improve his skill set.

“Look, I think you understand that we operate in a professional setting, so it’s crucial for us to just keep working on ourselves, becoming better, and expanding. After taking ten wickets, you must feel a little bit upset because you don’t have as many possibilities. However, as a player, you still have the opportunity to improve and advance your game.

“And since I took my ten wickets, I’ve tried to improve myself and have changed how I run up a little bit. Thus, it’s always about becoming better, making sure you’re prepared for the next chance, and raising your hand,” Patel continued.

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Patel last participated in a competitive match in March of 2023–2024 at the Plunket Shield. During his eight games for the Central Districts, Patel claimed 26 wickets at an economy rate of 2.72, which was the lowest of the season’s top 15 wicket-takers.