The last 10 minutes of the first day were a nightmare for India. After losing some quick wickets, Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill set the stage for the team to turn around. In their pair of 96 runs, the host team scored 263 runs in the first innings against the Kiwis' 235 runs. After that, two spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja brought the team back into the fight in the latter part of the second day. New Zealand, who won the first two matches to seal the series, ended the second day with 171 for 9 in the second innings after their whirlwind batting collapsed. Even though the Kiwis got a lead of 143 runs, India is ahead in all Tests.
India are essentially going into this Test to avoid a whitewash for the first time in a series of three or more Tests at home. This goal is not going to be easy in New Zealand's current state. Because 29 wickets fell in two days.
Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant were instrumental in rescuing the team from the way India finished the day yesterday. They made a pair of 96 runs. Unfortunately Gill was dismissed for 90 runs. Pant returned with 60 runs. Washington Sunder played an unbeaten cameo of 36* off 38 balls to take the lead by 25 runs.
Ajaj Patel took 5 wickets for 103 runs for the Kiwis. Matt Henry, Glenn Phillips and Ish Sodhi took one each.
After that, the whirlwind magic of Ashwin and Jadeja overcame the visiting New Zealand batting lineup. Jadeja was the main contributor to the batting collapse. The duo managed to prevent the Kiwis from setting a huge target by taking 7 wickets together. Will Young was the only resistance in the team. He scored 51 runs. Moreover, 26 runs came from the bat of Glen Phillips. Daryl Mitchell and Devon Conway scored 21 and 22 respectively.
Jadeja finished the day with 4 wickets for 52 runs. Ashwin ended the day with three wickets for 63 runs. Akash Deep and Washington Sundar took one each.
