The local boy Axar Patel had a field day on the first day of the third Test at his home ground in Ahmedabad. Axar Patel took six wickets in the first innings of the pink-ball Test as he finished with figures of 6/38, helping India bowl out England for just 112 runs.
Patel took his second five-wicket haul in as many matches on the way to his best figures in the format yet as he finished with 6/38. Patel accounted for the wickets of Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad.
After his figures of 5/60 in the second Test in Chennai, Patel continued his exceptional form in the third game as well. However, Axar is not the first Indian bowler to do so. Former Indian pacer Mohammad Nisar, took his first five-wicket haul when he made his debut in June 1932 and repeated the feat the next year in December.
Nissar was followed by the former leg-spinner Narendra Hirwani, who achieved the same record in the year 1988. Hiwrwani made his debut against the West Indies and claimed two eight-wicket hauls in that match. If that wasn't enough, Hirwani finished with figures of 6/59 in his second match, ten months later in November.
Axar, who made his debut in the last game, took seven wickets in his first game and has taken to Test cricket like a fish to the water. India ended the day in a strong position as they trailed the opposition by just 13 runs at the end of the day's play.
