Mumbai: Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant scored half-centuries in contrasting styles while Ravindra Jadeja and R. Ashwin shared seven wickets between them as India reached a strong position in the third Test against New Zealand from where they can avoid a clean sweep in the ongoing series.
At stumps on the second day, India reduced New Zealand to 171/9, a lead of 143 with just one wicket remaining as they fought their way back into the match from a difficult 86/4 at the end of the first day.
It was Gill and Pant that revived India's chances in the morning with a 96-run partnership as they reached their half-centuries in contrasting style -- Pant racing it with his fifty off 36 balls, the fastest by an Indian batter against New Zealand while Gill offered some much needed stability whilst scoring a patient 90
On another engrossing day at the Wankhede Stadium in the hot and humid conditions, the game ebbed and flowed as India dominated the morning session and failed to capitalise on the opportunity after lunch to be bowled out for 263 before grabbing the initiative in the evening.
The hosts came back strongly with Jadeja claiming 4/52 and Ashwin grabbing 3-63 getting into the driver's seat despite a fighting half-century by Will Young, his second fifty of the match that kept New Zealand's hopes alive.
With the last wicket pair of Ajaz Patel and Will O'Rourke at the crease, New Zealand will be hoping to add as many runs as possible to their lead of 143 runs, hoping to make things as difficult as possible for India.
The Indians raised hopes once again by destroying New Zealand's second innings with Jadeja and Ashwin striking blows at regular intervals. Akash Deep, opening the bowling, gave India the breakthrough once again by bowling Tom Latham for one as the ball nipped back in to sneak through the gap between the bat and pad.
Washington Sundar then accounted for Devon Conway (22) and Ashwin sent back Rachin Ravindra for 4 but Will Young and Daryl Mitchell, who had saved New Zealand in their first innings, raised a half-century partnership to keep New Zealand's hopes alive.
But Ashwin pulled off a brilliant catch off a skier, running a long distance to poach a diving catch from Ravindra Jadeja's bowling, to dismiss Mitchell for 21 off 41 balls. New Zealand lost their fourth wicket with 94 runs on the board, just 66 runs ahead. While Young continued to soldier on from the other end, New Zealand continued to lose wickets.
Jadeja grabbed his seventh wicket of the match when he had Tim Blundell chopping onto his wicket with a full-length delivery that rushed onto the batter. He made it eight wickets for the match by sending back Ish Sodhi as India took control of the match.
Glenn Phillips struck Ashwin for a couple of sixes in an over but the seasoned off-spinner had the last laugh knocking back the off-stump with a sensational carrom ball that the batter failed to read and played the wrong line. Phillips scored 26 off 14 balls (1x4, 3x6) and New Zealand were down to 131/6.
But Young kept their hopes alive with his second half-century of the match before spooning a catch back to Ashwin off another carrom balls tossed up which drifted towards the leg-stump. Young showed lots of patience as he scored 51 off 100 balls, hitting two fours and a six.
Earlier, the first session of the second day belonged to India as Gill and Pant batted aggressively to rescue India from an overnight score of 86/4. Gill scored a patient 90 while Pant hammered a run-a-ball 60 as they put India on course for a big lead. But New Zealand bowlers kept chipping in with wickets as India slumped from 180/4 before lunch to 263 all out in 59.4 overs, taking a 28-run lead. Washington Sundar, with 36-ball 38 not out the next best scorer for India in an innings looked in cruise mode before crumbling again as six wickets fell for 83 runs.
Patel found his rhythm in the post-lunch session to claim three wickets as he ended up with 5-103, his second five-wicket haul at the Wankhede Stadium where he became only the third bowler to claim all 10 wickets in an innings in 2021.
Gill, who scored his first half-century in three Tests, and Pant added 96 runs for the fifth wicket partnership that helped India dominate the morning session. The wicketkeeper-batter from Delhi raced to the fastest half-century by an Indian against New Zealand in Tests, reaching the mark off just 36 balls. Pant improved on the record held by Yashasvi Jaiswal who reached the half-century off 44 balls in the previous Test in Pune.
Both Gill and Pant enjoyed a life each -- Gill was dropped by Mark Chapman off Glenn Phillips when at 46 and India 129/4 while Pant was put down by Matt Henry at long-on off Glenn Phillips when at 53.
Pant fell to Ish Sodhi soon after, trapped LBW by a leg-break that spun to evade the bat and hit the pad. The batter opted for DRS but could not overturn the decision as the ball evaded the bat. His 60 came off 59 balls and India lost their way after that.
Gill, who had dropped anchor after he got his life and played second fiddle to Pant, reached his half-century off 66 balls. However, he missed a well-deserving century, failing to reach the pitch of the delivery by Pant and the ball took the edge of his defensive shot for Daryl Mitchell to take a fine diving catch.
Gill's 90 came off 146 balls and was studded with seven boundaries and one six. He had done all the hard work but departed at the most inappropriate time for India, who at 227 were on the verge of equalling New Zealand's first innings score of 235. IANS
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