India took full control of the first Test following a dramatic New Zealand collapse on day three in Kanpur.
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Keeping in mind how the visitors lost their last five wickets for just 24 runs, the chances of a fightback look bleak, especially against the two rampaging Indian spinners. It would be hard for the two front line spinners to continue unchanged all day, but Kohli was reluctant to bowl them both in conjunction. Pujara has a habit of scoring big runs after getting his eye in, but he should be pleased with his performance in the second innings.
That puts the Black Caps in a good position, just 166 runs behind India’s total with nine wickets still in hand.
Jadeja struck seven fours and a six during his unbeaten knock as he entertained the crowd at Kanpur’s Green Park. Vijay and Pujara then continued and registered second consecutive half-centuries in the match respectively.
Murali Vijay and Lokesh Rahul put on 52, before Rahul edged one to Ross Taylor at slip, trying to play a cut to an Ish Sodhi delivery, to be dismissed for 38.
Mitchell Santner, who had claimed three wickets with his left-arm spin on Thursday, was batting on 28 at the break.
The Indians too had faltered in their first innings from being 154 for one to be 318 all out.
“It was a good ball that came through the bat and the pad”, Jadeja, who recorded his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests, said of Ashwin’s delivery.
The New Zealand duo have notched up a 117-run partnership, taking the Kiwis’ score to 152/1.
Luke Ronchi made a watchful 38 and BJ Watling chipped in with 21 but, those two aside, it was a procession as Jadeja destroyed the lower order.
Inderbir Singh Sodhi (1/50) and Mark Craig (1/59) got one wicket each.
Jadeja said the lbws could be a result of New Zealand’s dilemma on a pitch where the odd ball spun viciously while others went straight. Trent Boult (0) denied Jadeja but was caught at short leg off the last delivery, the ball clipping his boot on its way to Rohit Sharma at short leg.
Since the final session was washed out yesterday, the match began 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled start. Ashwin privides the home team with their first wicket of the game, as he Latham (58) is out LBW.
But Williamson’s dismissal provided the bowler more delight.
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Ashwin and Jadeja had bowled testing 10 overs in tandem when India captain Virat Kohli brought part-timer Murali Vijay into the attack to bowl his off-breaks, replacing Jadeja. That was 18th over of the day.
