Bengaluru: Team India were bruised and battered by New Zealand pacers on Thursday, crumbling to their lowest total (46) in a home Test match.
The home team was pushed to an even tighter corner in the first half of Friday’s play as Rachin Ravindra (134 off 157 balls) and Tim Southee (65 off 73 balls) pulverised India’s bowlers to carry New Zealand to 402 and hand them a massive 356-run lead.
Left to climb a mountain and staring at a possible innings defeat, India refused to throw in the towel as their batters came out all guns blazing to score at a brisk pace and reach 231/3 in 49 overs at stumps on Day 3 of the opening Test.
An astounding 453 runs were scored in a single day’s play at 5 runs an over.
Skipper Rohit Sharma scored a crisp 52 and Yashasvi Jaiswal made 35 before both fell to left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel.
Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan then lit up the Chinnaswamy Stadium with a sparkling 136-run partnership that raised hopes of an almost improbable Indian victory.
Kohli crossed 9,000 Test runs and brought up his 31st half-century, matching the more aggressive Sarfaraz stroke for stroke. He was looking good for a century on the morrow, only to be dismissed off the final ball of the day. A faint edge off spinner Glenn Phillips was well gloved by wicketkeeper Tom Blundell to end Kohli’s 70-run knock.
Young Sarfaraz is still at the crease, going great guns on an unbeaten 70 which came in 78 balls and included 7 fours, 3 sixes.
Playing just his fourth Test, Sarfaraz notched up his fourth half-century. India will be hoping that the stocky right-hander not only gets his maiden Test hundred but a big one, along with great support from the likes of KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant on the fourth day.
Brief Scores
India 1st innings: 46 all out in 31.2 overs.
New Zealand 1st innings: 402 in 91.3 overs (Rachin Ravindra 134, Tim Southee 65; Ravindra Jadeja 3/72, Kuldeep Yadav 3/99, Md Siraj 2/84).
India 2nd innings: 231/3 in 49 overs (Virat Kohli 70, Sarfaraz Khan 70 batting, Rohit Sharma 52; Ajaz Patel 2/70).
