Kaif dismisses Ajaz Patel's quality, calls him 'a club-level bowler'

Mohammad Kaif was quick to downplay New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel's impressive performance in the recent Test series against India, despite Patel ending as the top wicket-taker for the tourists in the 3-match series.

Ajaz Patel's spin attack proved lethal throughout the series as New Zealand achieved a stunning 3-0 sweep over India, a result that raised eyebrows given India's reputation for handling spin well, with batters like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill at the crease.

Patel claimed a total of 15 wickets across the series, including an outstanding 11-wicket haul in the Wankhede Test alone. Yet, former Indian batsman Mohammad Kaif remained unimpressed, controversially suggesting Patel was not a high-quality bowler.

In a video shared on social media, Kaif went so far as to say that bowlers of Ajaz's calibre could be found in any local club in India. Kaif appeared frustrated with India's inability to counter Patel effectively, attributing the bowler's 11-wicket haul in Mumbai to poor performance on the part of Indian batters rather than exceptional bowling skill.

"Ajaz Patel didn't bowl well. His pitch map shows two full-tosses, two short balls, and two length balls, yet he still managed to get wickets," Kaif stated in the video, implying that Patel's success was largely down to India's failings.

Kaif's critique extended to New Zealand's part-time spinner Glenn Phillips, who managed to secure four wickets in the Mumbai Test. Kaif argued that Phillips, who he described as lacking in bowling technique, contributed to an embarrassing defeat for India, insisting that the loss was due to India's struggles against part-time bowlers rather than a formidable spin attack.

"Phillips is a part-timer, he doesn't know how to bowl quality deliveries. We lost to part-timers, not top-notch spinners. Let people say Ajaz Patel took 22 wickets at Wankhede – he barely lands the ball properly. He bowled only two good balls per over and somehow got wickets," Kaif remarked, adding that the Mumbai Test loss was a significant embarrassment for India.

The only spinner Kaif spared from criticism was Mitchell Santner, who he praised for his 11-wicket performance in the Pune Test before an injury ruled him out of the final match. Kaif highlighted Santner's approach as a "classic Test match performance" and acknowledged his quality as a bowler.

Kaif's comments have sparked discussion among fans and analysts, with some agreeing that India's struggles in the series were due to a lacklustre performance against spin, while others feel Patel's achievements deserved more respect.