NZ spinner Ajaz Patel controversially dropped after 10-wicket Test haul in brutal selection snub

How stiff is this! New Zealand has made a controversial call on an incredible record-breaker. But there is a reason for the brutal decision.

Talk about selection brutality.

If ever a cricketer felt the right to be considered undroppable it was New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel.

You remember, the Kiwi star who earlier this month became just the third player in Test cricket history to snare all 10 wickets in an innings when he sliced through India.

Finished the match with 14 wickets and despite creating Test cricket history still couldn’t win the man of the match award.

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Ajaz Patel became just the third Test player in history to take 10 wickets in an innings — but he has been dropped for New Zealand’s next match. Picture: AFP-

Well in perhaps the most extreme case of “horses for courses” selection brutality world cricket has seen, Patel has been dropped from New Zealand’s upcoming Test series with Bangladesh.

And the Test world champions make no apologies for the fact Patel can’t find a spot in the two-game series starting in Mount Maunganui on January 1.

It seems form matters little as Kiwi selectors believe his failure to take any wickets in three Tests on home soil previously mean they’d rather go all-out pace against Bangladesh.

He is not the only big name missing, with Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson ruled out with a nagging elbow injury that kept him out of the second Test against India, with Tom Latham again taking over as captain.

Selectors opted for a four-pronged pace attack of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry.

That leaves no room for left-arm spinner Patel, who became only the third player in Test history to take all 10 wickets in an innings in the second Test against India in Mumbai earlier this month.

New Zealand has opted for a horses for courses approach. Picture: AFP

Coach Gary Stead expressed sympathy for Patel, who has failed to take a wicket in three Tests on home soil, despite his heroics in India.

“You do feel for Ajaz after his record-breaking display in India,” he said.

“However, we’ve always applied a horses-for-courses selection policy and believe the players selected best fit the way we want to take on Bangladesh here at home.”

Stead said it was “obviously disappointing” not to have Williamson but the battling stalwart was undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation to fix his troublesome elbow.

“We have every confidence in Tom leading the side, he’s done an excellent job in the past when called upon,” he said.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Neil Wagner, Will Young.

Originally published as NZ spinner Ajaz Patel controversially dropped after 10-wicket Test haul in brutal selection snub