India vs Zew Zealand | Indian spinners on top | Vijay, Pujara score 50s
Indian top order fired to give the hosts a 215-run lead at stumps on Day 3 of the first Test against New Zealand. Murali Vijay (64*) and Cheteshwar Pujara (50*) were at the crease.Β K L Rahul made a quick fire 38.
Earlier Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja bundled out the tourists for 262.
Jadeja finished with yet another five-for, while Ashwin scalped four wickets as both the spinners together accounted for nine wickets to give the hosts a 56 run lead in the first innings.
Watch Ind vs NZ 1st Test Day 1| Vijay, Pujara score half centuries
The Indian bowlers came back strongly on the third day, after a bad second day’s play. Skipper Virat Kohli’s decision of starting the day’s proceedings with spinners paid off well for the hosts.
Murali Vijay hits back to back half centuries
Resuming the day from 152 for one, Kiwi batters got off to a bad start as both the Indian spinners created problems for them with their turn and bounce.
The disciplined bowling of Ashwin got him a wicket at the start as he plumbed overnight batsman Tom Latham at 58 while Jadeja struck the new man Ross Taylor in the very next over via leg before.
Just when the Kiwi batters seemed good at the crease, Ashwin produced another beauty to rip off dangerous Kane Williamson’s off stump. New Zealand were now reeling at 170/4 in just eight overs.
The Kiwi’s middle-order Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner and B Watling somehow tried to hold their innings together but only managed to score 38, 32 and 21 respectively.
After that there was no looking back for India as Jadeja ran through the visitor’s lower-order, taking three wickets in an over to wrap up the innings.
Brief score:
India (First Innings) 318 and 159 for 1 (Rahul 38, Vijay 64*, Pujara 50*, Ish Sodhi 1/0) vs
New Zealand 262 (Williamson 75, Latham 58, Jadeja 5-73, Ashwin 4-93).
