Mumbai: With Virat Kohli run out for four, India were in deep trouble at 86-4 in their reply after spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar helped bowl out New Zealand for 235 on day one of the third Test on Friday.
Around 15 minutes before stumps, India were cruising at 78-1 but a rapid fall of wickets turned their fortunes around as New Zealand scented the chance of a clean sweep — they sealed their first-ever Test series triumph on Indian soil last week with victory in the second match in Pune.
The hosts trailed New Zealand by 149 runs at the close of a fast-paced day one at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, where the pitch offered early turn to the spinners.
Shubman Gill, on 31, and Rishabh Pant, on one, were batting at the close after New Zealand’s Mumbai-born spinner Ajaz Patel struck twice in two balls in a chaotic end to the day.
Reverse sweep reversing the trend
Ajaz bowled Yashasvi Jaiswal for 30 while attempting a reverse sweep, and then India’s ploy of sending a nightwatchman failed as Mohammed Siraj fell, trapped lbw on the next ball. Siraj also burned a review.
New Zealand’s biggest celebration, however, came in the next over when a direct throw from Matt Henry at mid-on ran out Kohli for four, the Indian talisman setting off for a reckless single.
Jadeja told reporters that “everything happened in 10 minutes”, and the team “did not get time to react”.
“We cannot blame any individual. Everyone makes some small mistake,” he added, saying the team must “build partnerships” to not only close in on 230, but “to go beyond that.”
‘Build pressure’
Skipper Rohit Sharma was the first to go, when he edged a delivery from pace bowler Henry to be caught at second slip for 18.
The left-handed Jaiswal and Gill put on 53 to resist the opposition spinners, but Ajaz broke through.
New Zealand top-scorer Daryl Mitchell, who hit 82, said he expected day two “will be a big session”, and that the visitors were hoping to “take a few more” wickets on Saturday morning.
Mitchell said New Zealand were “lucky to build some pressure”, and that the match was still “evenly balanced”.
New Zealand batsmen Will Young made 71 and Mitchell hit his 12th Test half-century after the tourists elected to bat first.
Jadeja bagged 5-65 with his left-arm spin. Off-spinner Sundar took four — including the final two batsmen, Mitchell and Ajaz — to wrap up the innings in 65.4 overs in the final session.
Mitchell attempted to anchor the innings after an 87-run fourth-wicket stand with Young before Sundar got him out.
In the humid heat, Mitchell needed regular drinks and ice packs during his 129-ball knock, which included three fours and three sixes.
Jadeja struck regular blows and took two wickets in one over twice in the innings, to register his 14th five-wicket haul in Tests.
That included having Young caught at slip before bowling wicketkeeper Tom Blundell for a duck a few balls later.
Devon Conway was out for four before New Zealand skipper Tom Latham, who made 28, and Young attempted to build the innings in a partnership of 44 for the second wicket.
New Zealand make two changes
Off-spinner Sundar came around the wicket to dismiss the left-handed Latham, before then bowling left-handed Rachin Ravindra — who leads the batting charts in the series with 252 runs — for five.
New Zealand have brought in leg-spinner Ish Sodhi and fit-again fast bowler Matt Henry in their two changes from the previous win in Pune.
India made one change with Mohammed Siraj coming in for fellow fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who is down with a viral illness.
