Every time Ajaz Patel picked up a wicket on Day One of the second Test, it felt as if someone had pressed the mute button at the Wankhede Stadium, which was otherwise noisy throughout despite being at just 25 per cent capacity due to the COVID-19 regulations.

Spinner Ajaz Patel was born and brought up in Mumbai’s Jogeshwari area till he was six, after which his parents shifted base to New Zealand in 1996. On Friday, some of his family members were cheering for him from the Garware Pavilion and this support is expected to grow over the weekend with as many as 20 of his cousins set to throng the Wankhede.