2nd Test: India reach 81/1 at lunch, need 278 runs for win against NZ

Pune (The Uttam Hindu): Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed an unbeaten 46 to lead India's charge in pursuit of 359 as the hosts reached 81/1 in just 12 overs at lunch on day three of the second Test against New Zealand at the MCA Stadium on Saturday. On a pitch aiding spinners, Jaiswal put out a stunning show of hitting eye-catchy boundaries through his unbeaten 46 off 36 balls. He has been well supported by Shubman Gill, who’s not out on 22 off 20 balls, as the duo brought out sweeps of various kinds to keep the scoreboard moving.

Despite Rohit Sharma falling cheaply to Mitchell Santner, who was clutching to his right side, India would want for Jaiswal and Gill to put bowlers under pressure for longer period as India still require 278 more runs to conjure up an improbable win and save the series. Jaiswal gave a thrilling start to the chase by heaving and punching Tim Southee for six and four respectively in the opening over. After Rohit pulled William O’Rourke for an easy four, Jaiswal danced down the pitch to smack Southee through cover for four more.

After Rohit’s inside edge lobbed up to short leg off Santner to dismiss him for eight, Gill straightaway got going with two superb sweeps off Ajaz Patel for boundaries, before cutting off Santner for four more. Jaiswal continued to be aggressive by dancing down the pitch to drive Santner for four, and followed it up by slamming a six over the bowler’s head. He produced the shot of the session by dancing down the track and giving himself room to play a gorgeous inside-out shot over deep extra cover for a big six off Glenn Phillips, before Gill’s thick edge running to four off Santner brought the end of an eventful lunch session.

Previously, New Zealand could add only 57 runs to their overnight lead of 301 and lost their last five wickets in the first hour of day three to be bowled out for 255 and set India a tough target of 359. Ravindra Jadeja, who didn’t pick any wickets on two days, got three wickets in quick time before Ravichandran Ashwin took another scalp and a run-out meant India did its job well of ending New Zealand’s innings swiftly. Phillips began by taking three boundaries off Ashwin, before Jadeja finally got his first scalp of the match by getting a straight ball to sneak through the gate of Tom Blundell and castle him for 41. Jadeja then had Santner holing out to long-on, before Ashwin had Southee edging to slip. Shortly after, Patel holed out in the deep to become Jadeja’s third scalp and despite two sixes from Phillips, O'Rourke got a little complacent while completing the second run and Jadeja quickly dislodged the bails to catch him short of crease at the bowler’s end to bring New Zealand’s innings to a close. Brief Scores: New Zealand 259 and 255 in 69.4 overs (Tom Latham 86, Glenn Phillips 48 not out; Washington Sundar 4-56, Ravindra Jadeja 3-72) lead India 156 and 81/1 in 12 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 46 not out, Shubman Gill 22 not out; Mitchell Santner 1-30) by 278 runs.