CRICKET
Day 3: Spinners shine as India bounce back
New Zealand was all-out on 296 runs as India also lost Shubman Gill before stumps.
India dominated the day and are looking like the favorites to win this match.
India 111.1 overs 345 all out
S. Iyer 105 (171) Southee 5-69 Gill 52 (93) Jamieson 3-91
New Zealand 142.3 overs 296 all out
T. Latham 95 (282) Axar 5- 62 W. Young 89 (214) Ashwin 3-82
India 5 overs 14-1
Pujara 9 (14) Jamieson 1-8 Agarwal 4 (13)
New Zealand was on the top at the end of day 2.
They started their innings today with a score of 129-0 and were looking good to score 400 plus runs.
But Indian bowlers showed their class today especially the spinners.
New Zealand lost their 1st wicket on 151 runs when Ashwin dismissed Will Young in the 10th over of the day.
Young scored 89 runs and he missed a well-deserved 100.
New Zealand was looking comfortable on 197-1 but things changed very quickly as the Indian spinners destroyed the Kiwi batting lineup.
New Zealand was all-out on just 296 runs and the Indian team get a very important 49 rubs lead.
This lead can prove to be a match-changing factor.
Tom Latham also missed his hundred by just 5 runs as he was dismissed on 95 runs.
After the New Zealand openers, none of the other Kiwi batters was able to cross even the 25 run mark.
The number 8 Kyle Jamieson (23 off 75) was the 3rd highest run-scorer in the innings.
The number 1 ranked Test batter and Kiwi skipper, Kane Williamson scored just 18 runs before getting LBW on Umesh Yadav’s delivery.
The experienced Ross Taylor also failed to score and he went to the pavilion after scoring just 11 runs off 28 balls.
Another Five-wicket haul for Axar Patel
Axar Patel is having a dream start to his Test career.
He is bowling brilliantly in the home conditions.
He destroyed New Zealand’s middle order to bring his side back in the match.
Yet again, he again picked up a fifer and this was his 5th wicket haul in the 4th match of his career.
England found him almost unplayable earlier this year and now the Black Caps are also struggling against him.
This is the 6th successive time he has picked up 4+ wickets in an innings, no other Indian bowler has done this before in history.
Axar now also holds the record for the 2nd most 5 wicket hauls in the first 4 tests in the world.
Most five-wicket hauls in first four Tests:
6: Charlie Turner 5: T. Richardson/ R. Hogg/ Axar Patel 4: Fred Spofforth/ S. Barnes/ Nick Cook/ Vernon Philander
The Indian spinners were on top today and the Kiwi batters were unable to score freely against them.
Axar was was well supported by Ashwin who picked up 3 important wickets.
Ravindra Jadeja also picked up a wicket. So the spinners took a total of 9 wickets in the innings.
India lost Gill before stumps but they are still looking good to win this match.
That’s because it will be very tough for Kiwi batters in the 4th innings against this brilliant Indian spin attack.