3rd Test
Day-2 Morning Session Highlights:
Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant’s fifties has guided the India’s recovery on the Day-2 Morning
At The Lunch of Day-2:
New Zealand scored 235 (1st Innings), where as India scored 195/5 (1st Innings).
So, finally New Zealand lead by 40 runs.
A counterattacking 96-run partnership between Shubman Gill (70*) and Rishabh Pant (60) helped India gain momentum on the second morning of the final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai.
Pant fell just 25 minutes before the lunch break, but the session was still a significant one for India as they reduced the deficit to just 40 runs of New Zealand’s first-innings total.
Ish Sodhi, in his return match, was the only bowler to take a wicket, but New Zealand will regret the missed opportunities earlier in the session.
Pant set the tone from the first over of the day, striking Ajaz Patel for three quick boundaries, signaling India’s aggressive intent.
Gill also embraced the challenge, particularly against the spinners, but both batters had their luck.
Gill was dropped in the opening exchanges when he tried to loft Glenn Phillips but miscued his shot to deep mid-wicket, where substitute fielder Mark Chapman failed to hold onto a straightforward catch.
Later, Pant also got a reprieve when his lofted shot off Phillips found Matt Henry at long-off, but the pacer couldn’t hang on.
Despite these close calls, the pair kept the scoreboard ticking.
In the first hour, India scored 77 runs from 14 overs as boundaries flowed freely.
The scoring pace slowed somewhat in the second hour as New Zealand’s bowlers found better rhythm.
After a period of using his feet and depth of crease to good effect, Pant fell to a sharp leg break from Sodhi that struck him LBW.
The decision, initially given not out, was overturned on review, with the call remaining on umpire’s call.
Pant’s departure gave New Zealand a brief respite after a challenging morning, as the spinners continued to extract plenty of help from the pitch, which is offering variable bounce.
With the game still finely poised, any first-innings lead will be crucial.
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