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My Mother Is Not Judged For Wearing Burqa Ajaz Patel On How New Zealands Inclusivity Helped Him Grow

My mother is not judged for wearing Burqa: Ajaz Patel on how New Zealand’s inclusivity helped him grow

Ajaz Patel, who created history by becoming only the third bowler in the world to take 10 international wickets in an innings, believes that the inclusivity that New Zealand offers as a nation has helped him focus n the game and grow as a player and as a person.

Talking about the maniac attack on the Mosque in Christchurch on a praying Friday in 2019, Patel a proud member of the Muslim community said that he was very devasted by it. "But the way Prime Minister, as well as the whole community, responded – with love – we felt included,” he added.

The left-arm slow bowler, who plays for Central Districts in the New Zealand domestic set-up and has represented the country in 11 Tests and 7 T20Is so far, said that he has never faced racism and is rather overwhelmed by how his teammates and the board has gone overboard to accommodate him.

“I won't say it doesn't exist, even though not so much in New Zealand. I actually, through my journey, felt quite comfortable in New Zealand," Ajaz said about racism and the recent Azeem Rafiq issue turning tides in English cricket.

“As soon as I came in [teh team], they have been very respectful about my culture, beliefs, and rituals. Like for me, if I need halal food, they will source it from anywhere they have to. I need a place to pray or do my namaz, I remember in my debut season, they sent someone along with me to the masjid (mosque), so I could pray.

"And also in the change room, if I have to pray in the change room, guys are very, very respectful and give me the space and the time to pray, so I have been very fortunate,” added the 33-year-old.

Ajaz, who was born in Mumbai, India and migrated with his parents at the early age of seven said that New Zealand as a country has accepted him and his family with warmth. He also said that he would like to be a role model for the Asian community in the Kiwi nation by delivering for the country that has given them so much.

"My mom is not judged in New Zealand when she walks out in a burqa. She can roam around without people saying anything. Our neighbours had placed a plant at the entry staircase of our in-construction house, knowing we are Muslims, with a note saying, 'we support you and you are a part of us'." he said.

Talking about being the role model for young kids, Patel, who has so far picked up 54 international wickets said, “Being a spinner is one of the most difficult jobs when it comes to playing cricket in New Zealand. So hopefully, after my achievement, there are going to be more kids in New Zealand who want to become great spinners for New Zealand. I hope it (the 10-fer) inspires children from Asian communities and parents to say 'look there is a pathway here'.”

“I love to be a role model to younger kids and I hope that by the end of my career that I look back on it and say 'I was a good role model'."

Whether or not he would achieve all those things is yet to be seen, but he has achieved something that is achieved only once in a generation.

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BAN vs PAK | 2nd Test: Babar Azam triggers Pakistan win with maiden Test wicket in thrilling encounter

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Playing India in India is the ultimate challenge: Daryl Mitchell

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The Ashes | Gabba Test, Day 1: Australia's new era begins by flaring up of England's age-old problems

There was a lot of build up pertaining to the new era of Australian cricket with Pat Cummins at the helm of affairs as pace bowling captain while the Joe Root had raised the antcipiation calling the Ashes series the defining phase of his captaincy. Clearly, both the leaders had a different context and meaning to their success in the series but all those of words of new era and legacy defining moments were shut down by the age-old problems of England batting and perpetual brilliance of Australian pace attack. Joe Root had said that England were coming off with an inspiration from India’s win at the Gabba last summer but little did he know that for India to achieve their feat, they put up remarkable fight both with the bat and the ball. His time was clearly not up for it with the bat and if not for the rain-curtailed day, their bowling might and determination would have also come in picture. Starc is back with trademark first over wicket Taking wicket through bowled or LBW with his toecrushers on the very first ball of the game or innings have been the highlight of Mitchell Starc over the years. It was there in the last summer as well but it soon disappeared after the first two Tests. His place was under scrutiny and people advocated Jhye Richardon introduction into the playing XI but only to find complete ignorance from his bowler partner and now the leader. Rory Burns, with all his messed up footwork, played all around a leg stump half volley on the first ball of the game and he committed a cardinal sin of missing a Starc’s swinging delivery. The Aussies were up and running and Starc roared in celebration to possible mute some of the prominent voices present at the Gabba who were calling for his ouster from the side. No mercy from relentless Hazlewood Dawid Malan was promoted at the top of the order based on his success over the last Ashes tour when he scored a phenomenal century at the WACA. However, the pitch and weather conditions were completely different from that WACA surface and he also had to deal with a lot smarter set of bowlers than the Australians were four years back. Hazlewood has been known for bowling in the channel in and around off stump and the script could not have been any different from him on the first day of the Ashes. He was at Malan with his back of a length delivery and the left-hander for his credit, did not look entirely out of place while looking to attack through the off side. However, Hazlewood was eager to offer him more back of a length stuff outside his off stump after realising the fact that he was eager to play a lot of deliveries outside off in search of runs. The bowler won the battle in the end and it did not take too long for the Australia’s accurate man to deliver a big blow to England that forced Joe Root to the crease when the ball was new and there was plenty of movement available. Before this innings, Hazlewood had snaffled England captain on seven occasions and he has been victim of Australia’s set up game in the past as well. He must have been aware of the line of attack Australians but scuh was Hazlewood’s accuracy that eh was helpless. He bowled back of length just at the off stump line and allowed natural variations to take place and Root was quite unsure of his footwork on the front foot or the backfoot and then in the end came the delivery that nipped away off the seam to take the outside edge of his bat and David Warner did not do the sin of dropping Joe Root before he could get set. Just what was Root thinking while deciding to bat first? There are question marks over the technique of your opening batsmen against moving balls. The pitch has been covered for a long time and weather conditions are helpful for swing and seam bowling. You have two very good bowlers to maximise the conditions in Chris Woakes and Ollie Robinson, who have played with batsmen in similar conditions back home. And, what you decide to do? Bat first. England have been guilty of playing ahead of their times in the recent past and the trend has not stopped even in this series. Anderson was rested from the game to keep him fresh and prepared for the second Test but did England overlook how tough it gets to stop an Australian side after a big win at Gabba? He doesn’t need to reflect on the captaincy of his predecessors as the las series only would give him enough idea about how important it is to stop Australia at the Gabba. Andrew Staruss and his company won the Ashes in 2010-11 only after they contained the Ricky Ponting and his men in Brisbane. May be, England were worried about batting last on the pitch where a lot of cracks could appear to make their life immensely difficult but if they could bank on Woakes, Robinson and Wood to put Australia on the edge on the first day, their life would not have been much different. Now, England have just 147 runs on the board and are pushed against the wall to have a say in the future course of the game. They need their bowlers to bowl out of their skin to dismiss an Australian batting lineup comprising of David Warner, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne to bring them back in the game.