Gill, Pant, bowlers shine as India restrict New Zealand on day 2 of 3rd test

 

At the end of the first day, India found themselves under pressure, but their spinners brought them back into the fight. Jadeja and Ashwin capitalized on the foundation laid by the partnership between Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant.

Among the Indian batters, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and to some extent Washington Sundar, stood out. The rest of the Indian batting lineup seemed to have learned little from the last 15 minutes of the first day's play in the Mumbai Test. Nevertheless, they managed to surpass New Zealand’s first innings score of 235, reaching a total of 263, giving India a 28-run lead. At the close of the second day, India was back in the contest thanks to their bowlers, who reduced New Zealand to 171/9 in their second innings, giving the visitors a lead of 143 runs.

On the Wankhede pitch, the ball was turning unexpectedly, with some deliveries bouncing unusually high, making batting progressively harder with each passing hour. On such a spin-friendly surface, New Zealand’s batters struggled to handle the Indian spinners. The outcome of the series might be somewhat salvaged if India performs well in this final innings of the three-match series. However, much will depend on the responsibility shown by batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja. If they repeat the careless approach from the first innings, a series loss by a 0-3 margin at home is a distinct possibility. This marks India's first Test series loss at home since 2012, with the series defeat already confirmed in Pune. The team has an opportunity in Mumbai to at least restore some pride, and the Indian batters need to shoulder this responsibility against the Kiwi bowling attack.

Starting cautiously on Saturday morning, the unbeaten pair of Shubman and Pant resumed play. Their 96-run stand for the fifth wicket helped stabilize a struggling Indian innings. Pant scored an aggressive 60 off 59 balls, including eight fours and two sixes, before getting out. His dismissal led to another collapse, as India slipped from 180/4 to 263 all out. Shubman missed out on a well-deserved century, scoring 90 off 146 balls with seven fours and one six. Although he tried to hold the innings together after Pant’s departure, he received little support from the remaining batters. Jadeja (14), Sarfaraz Khan (0), and Ravichandran Ashwin (6) couldn’t add much to the total, with Washington contributing an unbeaten 38 off 36 balls to help India edge past New Zealand’s first-innings score.

India’s struggle against left-arm spin was again evident in the Mumbai Test. The Indian batters found Ajaz Patel difficult to handle, as he claimed five wickets for 103 runs. Although New Zealand’s other bowlers weren’t as effective, the Indian batters’ failures played into their hands.

In New Zealand’s second innings, the Indian spinners subjected the visitors’ batters to a tough examination. Tom Latham’s side struggled against the spin of Jadeja and Ashwin, putting New Zealand under pressure for the first time in the series. The initial breakthrough was provided by Akash Deep, who managed to break through New Zealand captain Latham’s defense with a fine seam position. Those who appreciate Mohammed Shami’s seam position should take note of Akash’s skill in this area. The remaining wickets were shared among the three spinners: Jadeja took 4/52, Ashwin 3/63, and Washington 1/30. Apart from Will Young, who scored 51, no other New Zealand batter could withstand the challenge on Wankhede’s spinning pitch. Devon Conway (22), Daryl Mitchell (21), and Glenn Phillips (26) tried to put up some resistance, with Ajaz Patel (7*) still at the crease at stumps. William O’Rourke will join him on Sunday morning.

On day three, India’s primary objective will be to dismiss New Zealand’s last wicket as quickly as possible. Even if New Zealand doesn’t add any further runs, India will need 144 runs to win. Although batting in the fourth innings can be challenging, the third day pitch might offer some respite to Indian batters like Rohit and Kohli. But can India be confident? A target of 144 is no small task for a team that was bowled out for just 46. So far, India has yet to resemble the world’s number one Test team in this series.