Axar Patel becomes 1st player in more than 100 years to achieve huge feat in Tests

Team India all-rounder Axar Patel seems to be in the form of his life as he picked up yet another five-wicket haul against New Zealand in the first Test of the two-match series. Consequently of picking up yet another five wickets, the 27-year old became the first player in over 100 years to pick up 5 five-wicket hauls in seven innings or less.

The previous players to achieve this huge milestone were Charlie Turner in 1887-1888 and Tom Richardson in 1893-1895. However, the fastest player to 5 five-wicket haul was Rodney Hogg in 1978. The Australian achieved this feat in just six innings.

Axar Patel scripts massive record in Test cricket

Team India had a massive task on their hands after New Zealand batted through the second day without a loss of a wicket. The Blackcaps openers Will Young and Tom Latham helped the team set up an opening stance of 151 runs, with 129 of the runs coming by the end of the second day.

With both batters in such fine form, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side needed some wickets to get back into the game. After Ravichandran Ashwin provided the breakthrough by picking up the wicket of Young, it was all about Axar Patel.

The 27-year all-rounder first dismissed Latham, who had scored an outstanding 95 runs off 282 deliveries, an inning that included 10 boundaries. Once both openers were dismissed, the wickets came at a much quicker rate. Patel then dismissed Ross Taylor, Henry Nicholls, Tom Blundell and Tim Southee to pick up his five-wicket hall.

This was Axar's sixth consecutive 4+ wicket hauls in Test cricket, thereby putting him in another elite list. The 27-year old is tied with Johnny Briggs. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan and Pakistan's Waqar Younis lead the list, having picked up 4+ wicket hauls on nine consecutive occasions.

Image: PTI