Ravichandran Ashwin claims 3; Hosts 5 wickets away from victory in 2nd India vs New Zealand Test

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked up 3 for 27 as India marched towards victory on Day 3 of the 2nd Test against New Zealand in Mumbai on Sunday. The hosts declared their second innings on 276 for 7, setting the Kiwis an improbable target of 540. New Zealand ended the day on 140 for 5, having faced 45 overs.

Ashwin claimed the first three wickets to fall in New Zealand’s second innings. The offie trapped Tom Latham (6) in front of the stumps with a smart delivery that slid in with the arm. After a spider-cam malfunction forced the players to take an early Tea, Ashwin continued hurting the Kiwis.

Will Young (20) played some handsome strokes before being caught at short leg. He inside-edged an off-break which turned and bounced. The on-field umpire denied the appeal but India successfully used DRS to overturn the decision.

Ross Taylor’s (6) horror tour with the bat ended as he miscued a slog sweep. Ashwin also trapped Daryl Mitchell lbw on 27, but the batter reviewed the decision and survived as he had edged the tossed-up delivery. Mitchell and Henry Nicholls defied India in a fourth-wicket stand of 73.

Mitchell was particularly severe on Axar Patel, stepping out of the crease and smacking him for boundaries on a number of occasions. He reached a well-deserved fifty with back-to-back fours off Umesh Yadav.

However, Mitchell perished playing one shot too many. Having slammed Axar for a maximum over the bowler’s head, he holed out for 60 while looking to loft one that was smartly bowled wider from the left-arm spinner.

In uncharacteristic fashion, New Zealand gifted another wicket to India as Tom Blundell (0) was run out following a horrible mix-up with Nicholls. Blundell jabbed one towards mid-off and set off but there was no response from the non-striker. He tried to scramble back but was caught well short.

Nicholls (36*) and Rachin Ravindra (2*) were at the crease at Stumps on Day 3. New Zealand have a mountain to climb to save the Test.

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Agarwal hits fifty, Axar smashes quickfire 41* as India declare with massive lead

India declared their second innings at 276 for 7, with a mammoth lead of 539. After the hosts lost Mayank Agarwal (62) and Cheteshwar Pujara (47) in the opening session, Shubman Gill and skipper Virat Kohli continued to build the lead for India in the post-lunch session.

Gill was looking set for a fifty when he became the first Indian batter to be dismissed by a bowler other than Ajaz Patel in the Test. While batting on 47, he slashed Ravindra to short cover to give the left-arm spinner his maiden Test wicket. Ajaz then had Shreyas Iyer (14) stumped with a brilliant piece of bowling. He got one to drift in and then spin away, forcing the batter out of his crease.

Kohli (36) gave Ravindra his second Test wicket when he dragged one back onto his stumps. Wriddhiman Saha (13) and Jayant Yadav (6) perished looking for quick runs but Axar Patel (41* off 26) played a whirlwind knock to help India’s push for declaration. The left-hander smashed four sixes and three fours during his impressive knock.

Earlier, resuming the day at 69 for no loss, Agarwal and Pujara looked in no trouble as they carried on their good work from Saturday. In the first over, Pujara stepped out and hit Ajaz for consecutive boundaries. Agarwal reached his fifty in style, lofting the left-arm spinner over extra-cover and slapping the next ball for another four.

Immediately after the overnight duo brought up the 100-run stand, Agarwal was hit on the wrist by a short ball from Tim Southee that did not bounce a lot. The opener looked uncomfortable after copping the blow and looked to hit out. After being dropped by Patel off his own bowling, Agarwal eventually fell to the left-arm spinner, holing out to long-off.

Patel denied Pujara a half-century by having him caught at slip with a delivery that turned away sharply. Pujara was back in the hut for 47 as Patel had his 12th in the match. Till that point, he was still the only wicket-taker for New Zealand in the Test!

India continued their domination for the remainder of the day. With six sessions of play left (weather permitting), the hosts need just five wickets to wrap up the Test and clinch the series.