Indore: The hosts have a firm upper hand in the match, and are well on course for a 3-0 whitewash in the series, after bowling New Zealand out for 299 runs, on Monday.
After captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane helped India post a massive score of 557-5 (dec.), spinner Ravichandran Ashwin came through with the ball, taking six wickets. He further helped India bowl out Kiwis, as he played a big part in the run outs of Martin Guptill and Jeetan Patel. Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja picked up the rest of the two wickets.
Guptill and Latham got New Zealand to a great start, scoring 72 and 53 respectively. However, Ashwin completely changed the momentum of the game, in a spell where New Zealand lost half of their batting order for just 50 runs. Ashwin picked up four of these wickets.
Kohli had the option of enforcing the follow-on upon New Zealand, but the India skipper decided against it. The hosts managed to play out the rest of the day without losing any wickets. However, Gautam Gambhir sustained a shoulder injury, for which he had to go off retired hurt.
Scorecard:
India: 557/5 dec. (Kohli 211, Rahane 188; Boult 2-113, Patel 2-127)
New Zealand: 28/0 (Guptill 72, Neesham 71; Ashwin 6-81, Jadeja 2-80)
India: 11-0 (Vijay 11*, Gambhir 6 retd.)
STUMPS! India have managed to see out the end of play on Day 3, without the fall of any wickets. However, the hosts will be a little concerned about opener Gautam Gambhir, who had to go off with an injured shoulder.
India 11-0 (2.5 overs)
Disappointment for Gautam Gambhir, as he walks back to the pavilion, retired hurt. He had hurt his shoulder while fielding earlier, and further agravated his injury, when he dived, while taking a run. KL Rahul comes out to bat in Gambhir's place.
India had the option of letting New Zealand follow-on, as the Kiwis fell 258 runs short of India's first innings total. However, India skipper Virat Kohli has decided not to enforce the follow-on, as Gautam Gambhir and Murali Vijay come out to bat.
New Zealand: 295/9 (86.2 overs)
WICKET! An almost deja vu moment here. Henry plays the ball back to Ashwin, who knocks the ball onto the stumps. Replays showed that Jeetan PAtel, who was a t the non striker's end, failed to ground his bat in the crease, resulting in the third umpire ruling him out.
New Zealand: 276/8 (86.2 overs)
WICKET! Ashwin picks up his 5th of the innings. Liam Neesham was looking dangerous, but the ace spinner traps the southpaw for an LBW. However, replays suggest that the point of contact was outside the off stump.
New Zealand: 253/7 (79 overs)
Out! Santner is gone. Kohli takes a brilliant catch at leg slip on the bowling of Jadeja.
New Zealand: 216/6 (68 overs)
TEA! The Indian spinners are looking dangerous, with Ashwin being the pick of the bowlers for the hosts. The spinner has taken four of the six wickets for India, while Jadeja has one scalp to his name. Ashwin played a crucial part in getting the important wicket of Martin Guptill.
New Zealand: 201/6 (63 overs)
WICKET! Ravindra Jadeja picks up his first wicket of the match. His ball catches the outside edge of Watling's bat, as Rahane takes an easy catch at first slip. NZ are in deep trouble now.
New Zealand: 201/5 (62.3 overs)
The Kiwis have recovered from the trecherous spell, when they lost five quick wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin has weaved his magic again, picking up four of the five wickets, and playing a major part in dismissing the dangerous Guptill (run out). The duo of Neesham and Watling have put up a 50-run partnership.
New Zealand: 148/5 (48.1 overs)
WICKET! The Kiwis are crumbling like an old dilapidated building, as Ashwin picks up his 4th scalp. Ronci edges it, as the ball catches Saha's gloves and heads towards Rahane at first slip.
New Zealand: 148/4 (47 overs)
WICKET! India get their danger man! Martin Guptill finally seemed to have gotten back to form, but a bit of quick thinking by Ashwin does him in. Ronchi dances down the track to hit a straight drive, but Ashwin manages to get his ring finger onto the ball. Guptill failed to make it back to the runner's end crease in time.
New Zealand: 134/3 (43 overs)
WICKET! The wicket seems tailor-made for Ashwin, who picks up his third scalp -- Ross Taylor. He edges a straight delivery by Ashwin, expecting it to turn, as Rahane gleefully takes a catch in the slips.
New Zealand: 134/2 (43 overs)
WICKET! Ashwin picks up another one! NZ skipper Kane Williamson was caught in two minds, as he shifted from the front foot to the back foot, ijn an attempt to cut an Ashwin off-spinner. However, the ball caught the bottom edge of the bat and went on to hit the leg stump.
New Zealand: 125/1 (39 overs)
The Kiwis have gotten off to a great start on Day 3 of the third Test at Indore. Openers Guptill and Latham have provided the top order with the perfect launch pad, to close the gap on India's mammoth first innings total of 557. However, the Indians have made a breakthrough, with Ashwin picking up the in-form Latham's wicket.
New Zealand: 118/1 (34.2 overs)
WICKET! Ashwin gets the first breakthrough! Latham departs, as he misreads the pace on a slower delivery. The ball catches the edge of the southpaw's bat, and loops towards Ashwin, who gleefully takes an easy catch.
New Zealand: 118/0 (34 overs)
Latham also brings up his fifty with a big sweep off Jadeja's ball. New Zealand are in firm control of their innings now.
New Zealand: 102/0 (29 overs)
Fifty for Martin Guptill! The NZ opener has applied himself brilliantly in this match, putting his poor form behind himself, to bring up his first fifty of the series. Played a wonderful backfoot drive through the covers off Jadeja's ball, to bring up his half century with a boundary.
New Zealand: 56/0 (22 overs)
DRINKS! India skipper Kohli has brought in the spinners, after Shami and Yadav failed to make a breakthrough early on. However, Guptill and Latham have looked steady on the pitch, scoring regularly off the Indian bowlers. Ashwin and Jadeja bowling in tandem now.
Preview:
India have gotten off to a brilliant start in the third Test of the series against New Zealand, with both Virat Kohli (211) and Ajinkya Rahane (188) posting massive individual scores to take the hosts past the 500-run mark.
In fact, Kohli became the first Indian captain to score more than two double centuries. His first came against the West Indies, earlier this year. Rahane also got himself into the record books, as his 188 against New Zealand became the fifth highest score for an Indian no. 5 batsman, in Test cricket.
In an innings that lasted nearly two days, the Indian batsmen completely clobbered the visiting bowlers, who could only pick up half of the wickets, with the hosts declaring their innings with juts a few overs to go. Trent Boult and Jeetan Patel were the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand, taking two wickets each.
Although the Kiwis got off to a decent start, scoring at the rate of 3.11 runs per over, their opening batsmen only got to play nine overs.
Scorecard:
India: 557/5 dec. (Kohli 211, Rahane 188; Boult 2-113, Patel 2-127)
New Zealand: 28/0 (Guptill 17*, Latham 6*)
