3rd Test
Day-2 Evening Session Highlights:
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin has combined to keep India team slightly ahead
At The Stumps of Day-2:
New Zealand scored 235 (1st Innings) and 171/9 (2nd Innings), where as India scored 263 (1st Innings).
So, finally New Zealand lead by 143 runs.
Ravindra Jadeja (4-52) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3-63) combined to keep India marginally ahead on the second day of the final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai.
At stumps, New Zealand were 171 for 9, holding a lead of 143 runs.
While the lead could still prove competitive on a crumbling surface, India will feel they have a slight upper hand for now.
After 15 wickets fell on the day—one more than the previous day—Ajaz Patel (5-103) had been the standout bowler for New Zealand in the morning session.
The final session began with New Zealand at a shaky 26 for 1.
With the pitch continuing to offer considerable assistance to the spinners, every run became vital.
Will Young (51) fought hard for his half-century, but lacked support from the other end.
Daryl Mitchell (21) and Devon Conway (22) both got starts but failed to convert.
Conway’s dismissal, a ball from Jadeja that fizzed after pitching, took the edge and saw him depart, further frustrating New Zealand’s efforts.
Rachin Ravindra’s dismissal, however, was more surprising.
Attempting a wild slog against a sharply spinning off-break, he was stumped by a significant margin, further compounding New Zealand’s woes.
Young remained steady, though, and formed a 50-run stand with Mitchell, which represented New Zealand’s most productive period of the day.
Just when it seemed New Zealand might wrest some control back, Jadeja made the breakthrough.
Mitchell, trying to up the tempo, miscued a lofted shot, which was brilliantly caught by Ashwin at mid-on.
The pitch continued to cause havoc, and as is often the case in such conditions, one wicket brought another.
Tom Blundell’s horror series continued as he was bowled by Jadeja.
Glenn Phillips (26) came in with the intent to counterattack, hitting three sixes and a four in a brief, aggressive innings.
But Ashwin dismissed him with a well-disguised carom ball, leaving Jadeja to finish the job.
Jadeja then sliced through New Zealand’s lower order with pinpoint accuracy, claiming his fourth wicket by removing Matt Henry in the final moments of the day.
Despite losing some momentum, New Zealand’s lead of 143 runs could still prove tricky to defend, especially with the surface continuing to deteriorate.
New Zealand will aim to stretch the lead beyond 150-155 runs, knowing that batting last could be a challenging proposition.
On the flip side, India will rue their batting collapse.
Shubman Gill (90) and Rishabh Pant (60) were the shining lights with a 96-run counterattacking stand, but apart from their efforts, the batting struggled.
After a tough few Tests, Ajaz Patel found his rhythm, taking key wickets to stifle India’s progress.
India’s lower order failed to provide the usual resistance seen in recent years, and if not for a gritty cameo by Washington Sundar (38*), they would have been hard-pressed to secure a first-innings lead.
However, the bowlers responded well to keep India just ahead by the end of Day 2, though their dominance remains minimal.
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