New Zealand will have to bat all day to save Test against India

25 September 2016 11:53

New Zealand will go into the final day of the first Test against India requiring a dogged batting effort to save the game.

Needing 434 to win or to bat out four sessions in Kanpur for the draw, the Black Caps closed on 93 for four after Ravichandran Ashwin made early inroads.

India resumed in the morning on 159 for one and made steady progress for much of the day, Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara taking their second-wicket stand to 133 before the former was trapped lbw by Mitchell Santner for 76.

Captain Virat Kohli made 18 and Pujara reached a top score of 78 before becoming Ish Sodhi's second victim.

Ajinkya Rahane added 40 before edging Santner to slip where Ross Taylor took an excellent diving catch, but Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja put on an unbroken 100 in 18.3 overs to allow India to declare on 377 for five. Jadeja's 58-ball half-century brought about the declaration and the tea interval, with Sharma 68 not out.

Ashwin then took the first three wickets to fall, in the process becoming the second-fastest man to 200 wickets in Test history. His 37 matches to reach the landmark puts him just ahead of Dennis Lillee and Waqar Younis, behind only former Australia leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett on 36.

Opening the bowling, the off-spinner removed openers Martin Guptill and Tom Latham in the fourth over of the innings with only three runs on the board.

He then worked over captain Kane Williamson, eventually dismissing him lbw for 25, before Ross Taylor was foolishly run out for 17, reaching the crease but failing to ground his bat before Umesh Yadav's direct hit.

Luke Ronchi took an aggressive approach and was dropped early on by Vijay, a tough chance racing back from short cover, before lofting Ashwin for six.

He reined himself in as the day approached its end, reaching stumps on 38 not out from 52 balls, while Santner had ground his way to eight from 50 deliveries at the other end to set the tone which will be needed on Monday.

Source: PA