India versus NZ 1st Test 4th Day: India in a commanding position
Thanks to a brilliant batting effort by the lower middle order, the Indian team ended the 4th day of the 1st Test match in a commanding position played at Green Park Stadium, Kanpur on Sunday.
Starting on the overnight score of 14 for 1, Pujara and
Mayank Agarwal began off steadily putting the bad balls away for boundaries.
Kyle Jamieson got the breakthrough for New Zealand dismissing Pujara via review.
The umpire gave it not out and it was overturned to out as it hit the gloves.
Pujara and Mayank Agarwal added 30 runs for 2nd wicket.
Ajiyanka Rahane's poor form continued being dismissed for
another low score LBW by Ajaz Patel. Tim Southee produced two good deliveries
to get rid of Mayank Agarwal caught at slips and took the wicket of Ravindra
Jadeja bowling around the wicket to leave India in strife with the scoreboard
reading 51 for 5.
Ravichandran Ashwin came ahead of Wriddhman Saha and put the
pressure back on New Zealand bowlers with attacking strokes. At the end of the
first session, India scored 84 for 5.
After the lunch break, Ashwin and Shreyas Iyer maintained
the momentum for India putting bad balls away for boundaries. Williamson
decided to bring Rachin Ravindra into the attack as both Iyer and Ashwin kept the scoreboard ticking. Kyle Jamieson produced the breakthrough for visitors
getting the wicket of Ashwin hitting inside edge onto stumps. Ashwin and Iyer
added 52 runs for the 6th wicket.
Shreyas Iyer looked confident coming down the track and
hitting big shots to put pressure back on Kiwi bowlers. Iyer completed his
fifty off 109 balls. Saha also took on Will Somerville making life tough for
New Zealand captain Williamson. New Zealand fielders dropped Saha twice. Right
at the stroke of tea break, Shreyas Iyer was caught down the leg caught. Iyer
and Saha added 64 runs for the 7th wicket. At the end of the 2nd
session, India ended with 167 for 7.
The third session began with Saha and Axar Patel playing
with caution against Jamieson and Southee. It was a cautious approach by both
Indian batters as they did not up the ante. Saha struggling with his neck
injury looked confident and completed his first fifty after 2016 off 115 balls.
Williamson took the 2nd new ball immediately. Saha and Axar Patel played
just only one over before declaring their innings on 234 for 7. Both Indian
batters added unbeaten 67 runs for the 8th wicket.
Ashwin and Axar Patel started the proceedings for India. Will
Young could have survived if he would take a review, it was missing leg stump. Ashwin
grabbed the wicket for India surpassing Harbhajan Singh’s record. Will Somerville
was sent as nightwatchman.
345
in 111.1 overs ( Shreyas Iyer 105, Jadeja 50, Tim Southee 5/69, Kyle Jamieson
3/69) and 234 for 7 in 81 overs ( Shreyas Iyer 65, Saha 61*, Kyle Jamieson 3/40,
Southee 3/75 ) New Zealand 296 in 142.3 overs ( Tom Latham 95, Will Young 89,
Axar Patel 5/62) and 4 for 1 in 4 overs ( Latham 2*, Ashwin 1/3)
New
Zealand needs 280 runs to win with 9 wickets in hand.
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