The third Test Match continues to be enthralling as Day 2 saw partnerships, loss of wickets and excellent fielding at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. New Zealand ended Day 2 at 171 for 9, courtesy of 51 by Young. With that, the visitors have gained a crucial 143-run lead, with a wicket left. Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the Indian bowlers with four wickets in the second innings, followed by three wickets for Ashwin as India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Day 2 saw an exciting battle between the two teams.
India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Day 2 Live – A Complete Domination by Pant, Shubman in the First Hour
Rishabh Pant started India’s innings on a great note by hitting three boundaries in the first over on Day 2. Just the motivation India needed after a stutter at the back end of Day 1 of the India vs New Zealand Third Test Match. Shubman Gill also joined in the act by smacking a boundary off Ajaz Patel a couple of overs later. Rishabh Pant continued to remain daredevil as he played a lap shot off Ajaz over the wicketkeeper’s head to the fine-leg fence for four. He smashed Ajaz for a massive six over the long-on boundary in the 26th over of India’s innings.
Shubman got a reprieve as the substitute fielder Mark Chapman could not hold on to a skier off Glenn Philips. Rishabh Pant brought up the 50-run stand between him and Shubman Gill with a boundary off Ajaz Patel. The next ball saw him hitting Ajaz for a massive six straight down the ground. Rishabh Pant raised India’s 150 with a boundary on the on-side off Philips. Shubman Gill raised his half-century by driving Ish Sodhi through the extra cover region for a single. Soon, Rishabh completed his half-century in India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Day 2. An amazing first hour for India where they smacked 77 runs.
Kiwis Break Through as Ish Sodhi Scalps Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant also got a reprieve as Matt Henry could not grab a flat catch offered off Glenn Philips. Both Pant and Shubman looked for ones and twos as Kiwis got defensive by spreading the fielders around. After some relatively quiet overs, India finally got a boundary as Rishabh Pant drove Ish Sodhi to the left of the mid-off fielder. However, Sodhi had Pant trapped leg before wicket to a delivery that came in sharply from outside the off stump. Pant scored a brisk 60 off 59 balls, smacking 8 fours and 2 glorious sixes. India went to Lunch at 195 for 5, smacking 109 runs in the first session for the loss of just one wicket. Shubman and Jadeja were at 70 and 10, respectively, till Lunch of India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Day 2.
Post-lunch Session of India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Day 2 Saw Wickets Falling in Clusters
The post-lunch session saw a sudden loss of two wickets. First, it was Ravindra Jadeja who edged one off Glenn Philips to Daryl Mitchell at first slip. He scored 14 off 25 balls. A few balls later, Ajaz Patel got Sarfaraz Khan to nick one to Tom Blundell behind the wicket to leave India at 204 for 7. The next over saw Shubman Gill hitting two boundaries off Philips to take India’s total to 212 for 7. Washington Sundar got off the mark the first ball he faced. He reverse swept Ajaz for a boundary in front of the short third-man fielder.
Just as Shubman looked set to get another hundred, he edged one off Ajaz to Daryl Mitchell at first slip. He scored an excellent 90 that included 7 fours and a six. Ashwin hit a four off Ajaz Patel on the last ball of the 56th over to take India into the lead over New Zealand at Wankhede. The next over saw Sundar clobbering Philips straight down the ground for a maximum. Ajaz got his five-wicket haul by getting rid of Ravichandran Ashwin who edged a ball that bounced extra to Daryl Mitchell at first slip.
Washington, meanwhile, was busy hitting boundaries. Akash Deep was out run out while returning to the striker’s end after Sundar denied him taking a second run. India got all out for 263, clinching a crucial 28-run first-innings lead over New Zealand. Washington remained unbeaten at 38 off 36 balls, smacking four fours and two sixes.
Akash Deep Knocks Over Tom Latham Cheaply as NZ Reach 26 for 1 at Tea
Akash Deep knocked the middle stump of Tom Latham to put New Zealand under pressure in the first over of the latter’s second innings. Devon Conway raised the first boundary for New Zealand in this innings with a clip off Akash Deep on the leg side. Ashwin bowled the sixth over and hit the strap immediately with two inside edges from Will Young’s bat. Conway hit his second boundary by guiding a slider off Ashwin to the fine leg region. New Zealand reached 26 for 1 at Tea, just 2 runs behind India.
India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Day 2, Final Session
Devon Conway picked the first run for New Zealand in the final session by sweeping Ashwin on the leg side for a single. New Zealand got into the lead courtesy of a single by Will Young off Ashwin. The next ball saw New Zealand receiving four byes as the ball kicked off the surface and flew past Rohit Sharma. Washington Sundar strikes a meaty blow by inducing an outside edge off Conway to Shubman at second slip. More trouble for Blackcaps as Rachin Ravindra got stumped by Pant off Ashwin. He was out for 4 off 3 balls.
Daryl Mitchell danced down the track to hoist Ashwin for a maximum at long-off to signal his aggressive intent. The next ball was four byes to a delivery that kicked off the length to deceive everyone, including the wicketkeeper. Mitchell then swept Sundar for a boundary at deep square leg.
Mitchell, Blundell Depart in Quick Succession to Raise India’s Hopes in the Third Test
Will Young smashed a six off Ravindra Jadeja straight down the ground to take New Zealand’s lead over 50. He raised the 50-run stand for the fourth wicket a couple of overs later with a single down the ground off Jadeja. However, Darly Mitchell soon fell as Ashwin took an excellent catch running back off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja. Mitchell departed for 21. Jadeja made Blundell chop on to the wicket to leave New Zealand reeling at 100 for 5.
Glenn Philips Blisters Before Ashwin, Jadeja Come to Haunt New Zealand
Glenn Philips came and smacked a massive six off Washington Sundar at mid-wicket. He smashed a boundary the next over off Jadeja and two sixes off Ashwin the following over to take the lead beyond 100. Philips’s daredevil ended in that over as he played down the wrong line and saw his stumps getting knocked over. He scored a quick-fire 26 off 14. New Zealand were struggling at 131 for 6 at the fall of Philips. Ish Sodhi drove Ashwin through wide of mid-off to record his first boundary.
Will Young completes his half-century with a tuck on the leg side off Ashwin. Jadeja got this third wicket as Ish Sodhi could not control his chip shot that went to Virat Kohli at short cover. Soon Ashwin got the half-centurion Young as he chipped one straight to the bowler on his follow through. He scored 51 off 100 balls, smashing two fours and a six. Matt Henry smashed Jadeja for a six down the ground. Ajaz Patel heaved Ashwin for a huge six at square leg. However, Jadeja knocked off Matt Henry for 10 to leave New Zealand at 171 for 9 at stumps.
