India are set to beat New Zealand in the second Test with Ravichandran Ashwin taking three second-innings wickets as the visitors, chasing 540, fell to 5-140.
The hosts were five wickets away from a 1-0 series victory with New Zealand reaching 5-140 at close of play on Sunday’s day three, chasing an improbable target of 540 and with two days still remaining.
It was a much better showing with the bat from the world Test champions, who managed only 62 in their first innings in reply to India’s 325 on a pitch offering plenty of assistance to the spin bowlers.
Ashwin, third on the list of most successful Indian Test bowlers with 426 scalps, dismissed stand-in captain Tom Latham LBW before the players left the field early for the tea interval due to a technical problem with the Spidercam.
The wily 35-year-old returned to send back Will Young and Ross Taylor in the final session to reduce New Zealand to 3-55.
Daryl Mitchell and Henry Nicholls kept India at bay with a stand of 73 before left-arm spinner Axar Patel separated them by dismissing the former for an attacking 60.
The touring side’s problems were compounded when wicketkeeper-batter Tom Blundell had a brain fade and was run out without scoring.
Nicholls survived nervous moments but remained unbeaten on 36 with Rachin Ravindra two not out at the close.
Earlier, the hosts declared their second innings on 7-276, ensuring their bowlers this time had enough time to dismiss New Zealand after the opening Test in Kanpur ended in a thrilling draw, with the touring side’s last batting pair hanging on in the final session.
A day after becoming only the third bowler to pick up all ten wickets in a Test innings, the Mumbai-born Ajaz Patel picked up four more to take his match tally to 14.
Left-arm spinner Ajaz finally received support from his slow bowling colleagues with part-time left-armer Rachin Ravindra picking up 3-56.
The New Zealand fast bowlers again failed to pick up a wicket but managed to restrict the Indian batters from scoring freely with a line aimed at their body from around the wicket.
Resuming the third day on 0-69, India openers Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara extended their partnership to 107 before Ajaz sent the former back.
Agarwal was out caught but not before he added a confident 62 to his first innings score of 150.
Pujara also looked set for a half-century after failing to score in his last knock but was out caught in the slips for 47.
Regular opener Shubman Gill, who did not bat in his usual position on Saturday after suffering a blow to his elbow while fielding, also missed out on a half-century by getting out on 47, as did India captain Virat Kohli, who made 36.
All-rounder Axar provided fireworks with the bat during his unbeaten 41, entertaining the Sunday crowd at the ground overlooking the Arabian Sea with four sixes and three fours in his 26-ball innings.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Playing a batsman purely because he may be of value in the team’s second innings (considerably less than) 50% of the time effectively has you going into a game anything between half a batsman and a full batsman down. It’s almost like only having 9 wickets to lose in your all-important, match defining, first innings.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Your first paragraph is a complete red herring. A role for a good player of spin in the team’s second innings will only be relevant if the match is still in its defining phase at that point which is rare. And spinners bowl in the opposition’s first innings in any case. The best batsmen, quite obviously, can play all types of bowling, in all types of conditions. ____________________________ Your second paragraph is also a complete red herring for two reasons. Firstly, even if a spinner mostly takes the majority of their wickets in the second innings, they still have a support role to play in their opposition’s first innings, and secondly, comparing a spinner in the opposition’s two innings is a bit like comparing the genetic makeup of males and females (in any species). While runs may cease to be relevant in both or either team’s second innings, wickets are technically not. India may not have needed any of those 276 second innings runs in this match, but they still needed the 10 wickets in their opposition’s second innings.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
What if you are a better player of spin than most, but not as good at swing/seam? Is there not a role for a good player of spin later in the match, in a game of two innings? For that matter, is the value of a spinner downplayed because typically they will take the majority of their wickets in the 2nd innings?
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
If you are needed to perform in both innings than great. Agarawal was needed big time in the first innings and he performed. India did not even need a second innings full stop, same as Australia in Brisbane 2006-07 Ashes as another example.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
And if you perform in both innings?
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
It is precisely the point in not having runs credited to a batsman’s meaningful record in terms of exerting impact on a match’s result. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t perform when it matters, you are a dud. Earning doesn’t come into the conversation one way or another when the match has long passed its decisive point.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
That's not the point though in regard to whether a batsman earned those runs and should have them credited to their record as an indication of their talent.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure if we're allowed to count the second innings wickets.. :crying:
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
I missed this classical bit: "... In fact I’d say the quicks had stepped it up from India’s first innings ..." Just a touch too late wouldn't you say?
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
None of that gives the runs any meaning in terms of impacting on the result of win, loss or draw. They could have bowled them out for 36 and it still makes no difference – India still win comfortably.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
So you didn't watch the match then? You didn't watch Tim Southee constantly harassing the batsmen with short pitched bowling to a slew of fielders on leg, hitting Pujara on his elbow, hitting Agarwal on his wrist which ultimately forced his wicket as he tried to hit out through the pain? Jamieson's spell to Kohli? Patel's regularly threatening deliveries as the spun past the outside edge? From what I watched on day 3, every bowler was bowling just as hard, just as focused as they did in the first innings. In fact I'd say the quicks had stepped it up from India's first innings. The Indian openers certainly tried to take control of the innings in the first few overs, the Black Caps pared that approach right back. The maths might say the Indians felt no pressure in their 2nd innings. The experience showed how they had to deal with each ball with as much concentration and execute just as judicially to make their runs as they did in their first innings.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
No they weren’t. Their opposition were on their knees.
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Whether they were priceless or not, they were as hard earned as the runs made in the first innings.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
Well that was easy. Absolutely priceless those 3rd innings runs for India.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Ashwin's figures for the match. 25 overs, 7 for 35 Not bad for the average right?