Mumbai: India needs nine wickets to win the second Test and the two-match series against New Zealand here at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed the stand-in captain of Black Caps Tom Latham (6). The teams were forced to take an early tea as the spider cam got stuck and it was too low to continue the play.
Earlier, India declared at 276 for 7, with Ajaz Patel taking four wickets and Rachin Ravindra picking up three wickets. The New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz ended the innings with the best figures ever against India (and best at the Wankhede) – 14 for 225, going past England’s Ian Botham (13/106 against India in 1980).
India openers Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara stitched a solid 107-run partnership, which put the hosts in the driver’s seat. While Mayank (62) registered another fifty-plus score, Pujara scored 47 before the duo were dismissed by Ajaz in quick succession.
Virat Kohli joined Shubman Gill, who came in at no.3, settled in no time and took India to 142/2 before heading for a well-served lunch. New Zealand’s other left-arm spinner Rachin Ravindra claimed his maiden Test wicket as he denied Gill (47) of a half-century soon after the lunch. The right-hander gave an overhead catch at the short cover area.
Shreyas Iyer and Kohli took India past the 200-run mark. Soon Ajaz returned to take his 14th wicket, with Iyer getting stumped after smashing two maximums. In no time Rachin bagged the prized wicket of the India captain, who dragged the ball back onto his own stumps. And Wriddhiman Saha became Rachin’s third wicket.
Axar Patel and Jayant Yadav in the middle helped India take their lead over 500. Axar played a quickfire knock of 26-ball 41 not out before the hosts declared at 276/7.
